Snow Lion Archive

The Snow Lion Archive holds over 800 articles from the 98 issues of the Snow Lion Newsletter that were published from 1986–2012. Here you will find news, author interviews, profiles, guest contributions and more. But it also serves as the paper of record, documenting Tibetan Buddhism’s establishment and growth in the West over nearly three decades. Each article links to a PDF of the entire issue it appeared in.

Asanga glosses the term “meditative absorption” in the following manner: The term “meditative absorption” refers to [a state in which the mind] meditates correctly on an object and recollection holds fast [to an object] one-pointedly. The sutras describe each of the four meditative absorptions with a formulaic statement. Asanga glosses each expression that appears in these statements in his Listeners’ Level. The canonical description of the first meditative absorption is as follows: Separated from the objects of desire, separated from...

One may wonder whether or not the mantras created by the buddhas and those created by Brahma and other such figures are equal in strength. There is a difference between these two categories from the point of view of appearance, as the former are blessed by the buddhas to benefit those in need of guidance. Those mantras that are determined to be such by valid scriptures are unparalleled. One may further object that since all sounds are symbolic gateways to...

by Jamgön Mipham We’re all aiming to bring our actions more and more in accord with enlightenment. This excerpt from Luminous Essence by Jamgön Mipham offers a map of how that might look. In terms of its goal, enlightened activity can be either supreme or common. Supreme enlightened activity involves planting the seed of liberation in another’s being by initiating him or her into a mandala, using mantras and mudras, or by other such means. Common enlightened activities include everything...

Enlightenment happens unexpectedly, in the same way that we are often struck with wonder when we see whales jumping from the surface of the ocean. They take our breath away. Throughout the ages these kinds of experiences have often been experienced by meditators. This is frequently noted in the Buddhist tradition. The beauty of this is that it doesn’t require any special methodology or any special training. It often happens when we are least expecting it. Inner rest is the...

When we pray, what we are doing is invoking the spirit of devotion. Devotion is about no longer resisting anything. We are no longer trying to hold the composure of this illusory entity, ego or self. Self is always collapsing and dissolving in each and every moment. It dissolves if we leave it as it is because it’s not real from the very beginning. It’s already unreal. It’s already collapsing. When we try to construct and maintain the illusion of...

For the meditation on the nature of your own mind it is customary to ask your teacher for pointing-out instructions. Some practitioners are lucky enough to realize their true nature of mind straight away, whereas others merely perceive a sensation of it, a certain experience of the true nature of mind. But if they don’t know exactly how mind and the consciousnesses function, their experience will dissolve after a few days. The understanding of mind and the eight kinds of...

HH the Dalai Lama understands that questions (or “qualms”) naturally arise for students as they think about key Buddhist tenets. In this adaptation from his book Transcendent Wisdom—translated and edited by B. Alan Wallace—he brings up qualms and gives his responses about what it means for things to be real or not real. Qualm: If it is an error to think of form and so forth as real, how can it be that we verifiably perceive them? What further criterion...

by Anam Thubten Anam Thubten’s training in Tibet and his years of experience teaching Westerners are beautifully distilled in his remarkably clear book, No Self, No Problem. This excerpt describes the core of the spiritual path. When awakening happens, there is no longer any desire to become someone other than who we are. Every previous idea of who we are vanishes and along with it the pain, guilt, and pride associated with our body. In Buddhism this is called no...

Ge-luk presentations do not explain why the exhalation and inhalation of the breath is considered the best object of observation for “purifying” discursiveness. Simply, it works; the choice seems to be an empirical one, based on a long tradition of Buddhist practice. The governing principle seems to be that in systems asserting six consciousnesses, different conceptual consciousnesses of a similar type cannot operate simultaneously in the mental continuum of one person. Therefore, meditation on the inhalation and exhalation of the...

*** The following is from the Snow Lion Newsletter, Winter Supplement 1995 Snow Lion: Rinpoche, can you tell us something about your activities here in the West? Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche The last time I saw my root teacher, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, his final instructions were for me to take care of the doctrine by teaching and establishing the Dharma. He told me that since I have been educated in Dharma and have gained experience in retreat, it was now time...

One cannot become a Buddha without both compassionate action and nondual wisdom—and one cannot have these two types of paths without both of the two truths, conventional and ultimate. If only emptiness existed and there were, in fact, no conventional truths, then there would be no living beings, no suffering to relieve; thus there would be no compassionate action; and thus there would be no buddhahood. Therefore, maintaining the compatibility of the two truths—the compatibility of emptiness and dependent arising—is...

by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen OK, we haven’t exactly been angelic all our lives—and our “obscurations” are part of the cause. Buddhism prescribes certain steps to help purify our misdeeds. This clear description of those steps is adapted here from A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen. Application of the following four powers is an essential technique to purify obscurations. The four powers are (1) remorse, (2) antidote, (3) resolution, and (4) refuge or reliance. Remorse. We...

Whether it’s donuts, heroin, or praise that we crave, we all have addictive behaviors. This guide to beginning to break our compulsions is adapted from Chönyi Taylor’s book, Enough! A Buddhist Approach to Finding Release from Addictive Patterns. An addiction emergency happens when we suddenly find ourselves about to repeat an addictive pattern, or even when we suddenly discover ourselves in the middle of it. We need something to do right at that moment. For example, a smoker might find...

When should we counteract our difficult emotions, and when should we go with their energy? How we are advised to deal with our emotions varies according to which vehicle of Buddhism is in focus. Ringu Tulku gives an overview of the Vajrayana approach in this adaptation from Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha. When dealing with strong emotions, a Vajrayana practitioner does not have to use deliberate means to stop them. Unlike in other systems, the Vajrayana provides...

What is the meaning of bodhichitta? What is the significance of the Bodhisattva Vow? If we limit ourselves to saying, “I vow to save all sentient beings,” that’s very nice, but when and where and how? The point is that we have to ask ourselves, “Why are we practicing?” Are we practicing so that we can be happy, or free, or are we practicing so that we can benefit others? This is not just an academic debate, because it is...

Science shows that meditation is one of the best relaxants available Best-selling author David Michie takes a look at some of the psychological and physical benefits of meditation in these excerpts from his book, Hurry Up and Meditate. The most obvious physical change that occurs when we bring body and mind together in meditation is that breathing naturally slows and, with it, the heartbeat. Blood pressure decreases and so too the metabolic rate. Muscular tension reduces significantly. In short, we...

The following excerpt is taken from The Wisdom of Imperfection by Rob Preece. One of my greatest challenges as a practicing Tibetan Buddhist of some thirty years has been to reconcile two worldviews—namely, those of Buddhism and Jung. By some coincidence, I first encountered both of these at the same time, while at university. Finding that both approaches offered something very important in understanding my life, I have never felt the desire to abandon one for the sake of the...

Meditation The tenets of philosophical systems are to be practiced on the basis of a disciplined mental continuum; therefore, meditation is most important both in general and especially in the beginning. Perhaps today as I explain this topic, we could engage in an experiment. Would you like to participate? First, look to your posture: arrange your legs in the most comfortable position; set the backbone as straight as an arrow. Place your hands in the position of meditative equipoise, four...

In this excerpt taken from the Introduction to The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Eight, Part Three: The Elements of Tantric Practice, the translator gives an interesting synopsis of aspects of practice that are covered in greater detail in the text. Kongtrul discusses many details of the creation-phase practice, including suitable places, times and durations of practice, and the materials required for practice. For general purposes, most tantras advise staying “in a place that is secluded and pleasant” to accomplish general...

by Jeffrey Hopkins When we do deity yoga we need to be very careful that our unconscious contents don’t arise and mix into the practice or get projected. There could be no better guide through potential pitfalls than Jeffrey Hopkins, perhaps the most widely respected American scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, ex-translator for the Dalai Lama, and author extraordinaire. This excerpt is adapted from Tantric Techniques. Tantric systems often treat as external forces what many other psychologies would consider internal; in...

In his Dzogchen teachings, Guru Padma sambhava urged his disciples to keep going beyond the boulders on the road of meditation. In Tibet, there are lots of boulders on the roads, but in America, we would probably say “the potholes in the streets.” Experiencing these difficulties is a sign that you are actually moving. Whether the road is smooth or bumpy, it is good that you are moving along. When you begin practices, these obstacles will manifest. At such times,...

Get out of the construction business! Stop building bridges across the raging waters of samsaric existence, attempting to reach the “far shore,” nirvana. Better to simply relax, at ease and carefree, in total naturalness, and just go with the primordial flow, however it occurs and happens. And remember this: whether or not you go with the flow, it always goes with you. Yet it is not so easy—or so it seems. First we must recognize this profound view, innate Great...

These excerpts from The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra—one on retreat and the other on purification—are entertaining, knowledgeable, and rich with Preece’s hard-earned wisdom as a longtime Buddhist practitioner and psychotherapist. MEDITATION RETREAT The alchemical vessel of meditation retreat is very powerful. The Tibetan word for retreat, samlado, means, literally, “to sit or stay within boundaries,” and the retreat situation is a place where the boundaries within which you live are defined specifically for the purpose of meditation. These boundaries may...

Emptiness is perhaps the most important—yet difficult to define—topic in Buddhism. Guy Newland, author of Introduction to Emptiness—a kind of every-person’s guide to the intricacies of various explanations of emptiness—based his book on The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path: The Lamrim Chenmo by Tsong-kha-pa, of which he was the editor. Here he talks about really understanding emptiness, and why it’s important. Christine Cox: You’re known for being able to convey the complexities about what emptiness is—and isn’t—in...

Once, Tilopa advised his disciple to go off to an isolated retreat and avoid any meditation. Now, this may seem a little unusual for a meditation retreat. He explains, however, that when you go to meditate, you normally take up something to meditate on, some thing. That thing, and therefore that meditation, is necessarily artificial. The practice of Mahamudra is not like that at all. It is not taking up a thing called Mahamudra and meditating on it. Ultimately, Mahamudra...

How do we deal with fear? The following excerpt is taken from the long-waited first book in English by the extraordinary master Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, one of the greatest teachers of our time. He speaks of chöd, a potent practice designed to transform fear and use it to move towards enlightenment. Initially, we should practice chöd alone in our room at night, quietly, with less fear. It is by gradually developing bodhicitta and wisdom realizing emptiness—not by just becoming more...

An Oral Teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen We all want to find happiness and be free from suffering. The twelve-part process of dependent arising shows how actions underlain by ignorance propel us from one rebirth into another, keeping us trapped in suffering, and how through understanding reality correctly we can break this cycle. The following three excerpts from How Karma Works by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, a well-known teacher in Dharamsala, are based on the Rice Seedling Sutra and the twenty-sixth...

by Leah Zahler Because of the interdependence of the body, channels, winds, and mind, the breath becomes a means of purifying the meditator’s motivation; Gedün Lodrö refers to the process as “the settling down of the winds.” The winds in question here are those of the afflictive emotions—that is, “the coarse winds that serve as the mounts of impure motivations and coarse thoughts”—which are expelled with the breath. The simplest method, explained by Lati Rinpoche, is to pacify any afflictive...

To choose an object of observation, a meditator may “investigate among various objects such as a Buddha image to see what works well”—that is, the meditator may try them out—or “read texts to see what objects of observation are recommended,” or “seek the advice of a virtuous spiritual friend, or guide (dge ba’i bshes gnyen, kalyanamitra)—a lama (bla ma, guru) who can identify a suitable object of observation”; although meditators of sharp faculties are able to choose an object of...

Blaming our friends, enemies, circumstances, or even spirits for our troubles is not helpful, says HH the Dalai Lama in this excerpt from The Union of Bliss and Emptiness. If one is not able to revolt against defilements and negative actions and overcome them, the most harmful factors, then one is not really a human being. If instead one preserves them within oneself and always puts the blame on external harmful spirits and thinks of them as one’s worst enemies,...

If you have statues, you should not discriminate between them on the basis of their materials, and you must arrange them in a proper order. Even if a statue of a buddha is made of clay, it has to be placed on a high level; and even if your statues of dharmapalas such as Mahakala are made of copper or brass or even solid gold they should be placed below. The proper order should be maintained. Especially, you should not...

In Buddhist terminology, truth is called “emptiness” because truth is empty of all illusions. Do not mistake this emptiness for a nihilistic nothingness. Emptiness is the source of all things. Emptiness is the infinite realm of love and compassion. Emptiness is the divine fire that burns all concepts and the holy water that washes away all misery. Yet from the vantage point of ego, emptiness seems to be the darkness of the unknown, something that threatens the very foundation of...

You should do everything your guru tells you to do, even if it seems strange, right? Wrong. According to HH the Dalai Lama every student is responsible for checking the guru’s instructions against reason and dharma. The rationalizations that many students tell themselves in the face of odd guru behaviors—“It must be a teaching” or “It’s crazy wisdom that you can’t question” or “It’s a test”—serve only to damage students who don’t understand that even powerful teachers have personalities that...

[The following is an excerpt from Dzogchen Teachings by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu.] Vajra The symbol of Tantra is the vajra, which has five points at both ends and a sphere in the middle. That sphere, or thigle, represents our potentiality, which means that our real condition is beyond limitations and any kind of division into this aspect or that. At the relative level there are manifestations of all kinds of aspects, and the two main aspects are impure and pure...

The average American lies 25 times a day, according to recent statistics. Does Buddhism say that lying is always wrong? This excerpt, adapted from David Michie’s Buddhism for Busy People, takes a look at the surprising complexities of perfecting ethical behaviors. Day one on your five-star African safari, and you and your friends are about to enjoy a banquet in the bush. It’s lunchtime on a balmy granite outcrop. You’re set up in the perfect spot—all cane furniture, white tablecloths...

In this excerpt from Mind Training, Ringu Tulku teases out some of the issues that we face when doing Tonglen practice—metabolizing the suffering within and around us, and using it for spiritual practice. The Tibetan word tonglen means “giving and taking” and this simple and short exchange is essential for releasing us from suffering and generating compassion. Both our fear and our desire are directly provoked by the tonglen meditation and it is an especially direct and effective way of...

Although—or perhaps because—Dzogchen is a “pathless path,” practitioners can sometimes go astray. In this excerpt, adapted from Natural Great Perfection, Nyoshul Khenpo gives essential guidance on how not to get side-tracked. If one practices the incredibly rare and profound teaching of Dzogchen, nondual Dzogchen, with an intention like this: “I want Dzogchen, I want enlightenment. I’m going to get it in this life,” and there is a great deal of grasping, pushy, small-minded selfishness, how can there be any Dzogchen?...

How we sit, stand, and hold our body affects our mind—which is of importance especially during meditation. This excerpt from The Practice of Mahamudra by Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche concisely describes the subtle effects of placements of the hands, tongue, and so forth. It is very important to know what to do with the body while engaging in various types of meditation. First, there is the teaching on the sevenfold posture of Buddha Vairochana. The first of the seven aspects...

The word tulku means a network of emanations (Skt. nirmanakaya, emanation body). Not only do fully enlightened Buddhas generate and appear as an array of emanations, so do advanced practitioners of the highest class of tantra. The array they generate is called a network of pathway-level emanations. The founders of lines of tulkus, then, may have achieved any level of spiritual attainment ranging from part of the generation stage to Buddhahood. Thus, they do not even need to have attained...

Being identified with one of the four orders—Geluk, Kagyu, Nyingma, or Sakya—may say less about one’s practices than we think, according to Ngawang Zangpo, translator of Jamgon Kongtrul’s The Treasury of Knowledge: Books 2-4: Buddhism’s Journey to Tibet, in this adaptation from his translator’s postscript. The four orders of Tibetan Buddhism are, simply put, institutions—containers that house diverse scriptural transmissions and lineages of meditation techniques. The institutions were likely founded with the intent to preserve and promote specific scriptures and...

Before taking in other people’s pain, it’s sometimes wise to take in your own suffering. In the practice of tonglen—the sending of good thoughts and taking in of others’ suffering—it is often suggested that we should first become familiar with taking on and accepting our own suffering. This can be done simply by considering our own emotional or physical problems and then willingly accepting them as they are as we breathe in, rather than struggling against them and fighting ourselves....

Most Tibetan Buddhists take vows at some point—during initiations, for example. This excerpt from Great Perfection: Outer and Inner Preliminaries by the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche describes the very concrete results of keeping—or not keeping—certain vows. The Secret Mantra’s samaya vows of the masters of awareness are twofold: those associated with maturing empowerments and those associated with liberating instructions. Generally speaking, there are a hundred thousand different categories of samaya, out of which there are twenty-five essential samaya vows. These, however,...

In this excerpt from Vinegar into Honey, Buddhist teacher and psychiatrist Ron Leifer, M.D. talks about re-framing psychological problems in terms of Buddhism. If we drop the medical model, we see that people come to therapy with problems that can best be understood as existential dilemmas. They don’t bring us diseases, they bring us life problems. They may have been influenced by psychiatric ideology and media publicity and wonder out loud about their psychiatric diagnosis and their brain chemistry. But...

There are many kinds of prayers. Some are designed to direct and inspire our minds toward a certain quality or aim, thus creating the causes for us to attain this. Other prayers are for specific people or situations, for example praying for a person’s illness to be cured. For any prayer to be fulfilled, the prayer alone isn’t sufficient: the appropriate causes must also be created. It’s not just a matter of saying, “Please, Buddha, make this and that happen....

Whether we see the world as chaos or as a divine mandala depends on the states of our minds, says John Myrdhin Reynolds in this adaptation from Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness. All of us here in this lifetime are experiencing human karmic vision because we all possess in common the cause for such a vision. Therefore, we share this common vision. But this is not so with beings in other destinies of rebirth whose vision possesses different causes....

Sarah Harding writes in the Introduction to Niguma, Lady of Illusion: “As much as I have searched for this dakini named Niguma and hoped to find her as an actual person and the subject of her own story, it may have been in vain. Her own story, if it ever existed, is not to be found apart from the few details that I have explored here. Before providing the translation of her biography, therefore, let us see what a few...

by Susan Higginbotham The current economic climate has put a damper on the lives of many of us—and this includes taking vacations. For some of us, what was an annual expectation has become a drifted off dream and our concern has been more about having a job or not losing our savings. Yet despite the lack of financial flourish, we can still retreat into our practice and transform our vacation mindset into one of a deeply resonant inner journey, one...

by Thubten Chodron [The following is an excerpt from Thubten Chodron’s book Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig.] The vibration of the mantra affects our body and mind. Reciting mantra has a purifying effect that we can feel physically and mentally. It doesn’t occur immediately, but gradually the energy of the mantra begins to work and calms our mind. However, a stormy period often precedes the pacification of the mind. The pure vibration of the mantra brings...

What happens right after death? Dzogchen Rinpoche’s practical description of the taste of that experience is taken from his book Mind Beyond Death. In the first stage of this bardo, when we still see ourselves as who we are right now, the appearances of the life we have just left can arise for us quite vividly. At this time, we can see and hear all the people that we have known; our family and friends, as well as our teachers...

by Michele Levey Creating a field of loving kindness is a very powerful meditation for daily life. Loving kindness and a good heart create the most powerful protection. The red cord that lamas give as a blessing during ceremonies actually stands for loving kindness. Buddha Shakyamuni was able to overcome all hindrances and temptations through the power of his loving kindness. I learned a very beneficial technique for generating loving kindness and transforming negativity from a Bengali teacher of the...

Lay the blame for everything on one. All suffering, all sickness, possession by spirits, loss of wealth, involvements with the law and so on, are without exception the result of clinging to the “I.” That is indeed where we should lay the blame for all our mishaps. All the suffering that comes to us arises simply through our holding on to our ego. We should not blame anything on others. Even if some enemy were to come and cut our...

Jeff Cox: Not many people in the West understand what ngakpas are, though many have seen photos of these longhaired, white-robed yogis. Perhaps the one that is best known is the late Yeshe Dorje, who was His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s “weatherman”—that is, he was called on to control the weather for certain occasions. I’d like to understand more about the pure ngakpa tradition. Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche: Ngakpas can marry and have families. Their practice is essentially inward and a...

Glenn Mullin lived in the Indian Himalayas between 1972 and 1984, where he studied philosophy, literature, meditation, yoga, and the enlightenment culture. His teachers include the Dalai Lama, Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche, Ngakpa Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche, Tai Situ Rinpoche, Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen, Geshe Ngawang Dargyey, Geshey Rabten, and Gongsar Tulku. Glenn is the author of “twenty-five or so” books on Tibetan Buddhism. Many of these focus on the lives and works of the early Dalai Lamas. Some of his...

The following is excerpted from Tibetan Astrology by Philippe Cornu, pages 180-183 In the course of the month, the moon makes different aspects to the sun, and these may be either favorable or unfavorable. This is what gives the days their particular character. In the Indian, Chinese, and Arab traditions, there are lists showing the characteristics of the phases of the moon and the lunar days, and similar lists are also found in Western magic. The following list shows the...

Taken from the introduction to Great Perfection: Outer and Inner Preliminaries by the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche, this brief excerpt clearly and simply lays out what the term Dzogchen means. The instructions of the Dzogchen lineage are used to directly point out the nature of mind and bring the experience of enlightenment into our ordinary life and experiences. Therefore, these teachings are known as “pith instructions,” the heart or quintessence of pure knowledge that cuts through all confusion and gets straight...

With her trademark clarity, best-selling author Thubten Chodron lays out the correct methods of making offerings, and describes the specific benefits that this simple act of generosity can bring. This excerpt is taken from her new book, Guided Meditations on the Stages of the Path. Making offerings to the Three Jewels is a wonderful daily practice. Recalling enlightened qualities and cultivating a generous attitude and delight in giving is a wonderful way to start the day. The joy we feel...

In the Black Snake Discourse, Rongzom explains the differing approaches found within the Buddhist vehicles through the example of a black snake’s reflection appearing in water. This discussion illustrates well Rongzom’s critique of the Madhyamaka for failing to recognize the indivisibility of the two truths. Rongzom argues that the Madhyamikas claim that, although in reality the snake’s reflection is not substantially established and thus a mere illusion, it can nevertheless perform a relative function. Therefore, a Madhyamika will only dare...

The Dalai Lama is particularly fond of a meditation that promotes taking responsibility for others’ well-being. Based on A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life by the eighth-century Indian scholar yogi-poet Shantideva, he calls for imagining a three-sided scene. In meditation: 1. Imagine that you are your better, more relaxed, confident, and wise self in the middle looking at two sides in front of you to your left and right. 2. Then imagine your selfish self on one side:...

Imagine this scene: you have been found guilty of some unknown but terrible crime, and are about to be sentenced. There is no question of being let off lightly. A fine would be too lenient. So would a jail term. In the surreal state in which you find yourself, the judge has created a cruel, round-the-clock punishment especially for you. You are to be taken from the courthouse and returned to your everyday life, giving the appearance that you’ve been...

In the practice of the six yogas of Naropa, a process called “dispelling the impure winds through the nine rounds of breathing” is explained: First one inhales through the right nostril and exhales through the left, then one inhales through the left and exhales through the right. First close the left nostril with the back of your right index finger and inhale through the right nostril, and then exhale from the left nostril while blocking the right nostril; after that,...

There is a tendency in many of us to think that spiritual practice is going to fix all of our problems. We carry these unexamined, infantile hopes and fantasies. This has to do with the fact that our relationship with spirituality is often dominated by unconscious forces. It is not the squeaky clean business we hoped it to be. It is a tricky, painful, exhilarating, and ecstatic voyage. What could be more complex than that? As long as we are...

Asanga discusses a range of issues that relate to different kinds of personality types. One classification of seven types is based on the degree to which an individual may be susceptible to any of five mental afflictions. They are described as: (1) one who has a strong tendency to develop desire; (2) one who has a strong tendency to develop hatred; (3) one who has a strong tendency to develop ignorance; (4) one who has a strong tendency to develop...

A key condition for enlightenment is that it must be possible for spiritual qualities such as compassion and wisdom to be developed until they reach a state of perfection. The latter point centers on the proposition that the improvement of spiritual qualities is not innately subject to any limitation. The arguments that Dharmakirti presents in favor of this thesis are meant to counter the commonsense notion that, although mental qualities can be improved to a certain degree, these improvements cannot...

One cannot become a Buddha without both compassionate action and nondual wisdom—and one cannot have these two types of paths without both of the two truths, conventional and ultimate. If only emptiness existed and there were, in fact, no conventional truths, then there would be no living beings, no suffering to relieve; thus there would be no compassionate action; and thus there would be no buddhahood. Therefore, maintaining the compatibility of the two truths—the compatibility of emptiness and dependent arising—is...

Jeff Cox: Sometimes when I’m troubled, I’m moved to pray. But as a Buddhist I don’t think of it as asking God for something. What is your view on the purpose of prayer? Anam Thubten: There are many ways to understand prayer. It means something different from person to person—and even for the same person, it might be different at different times. To me, prayer is an act of devotion, and a non-conceptual, powerful method of dropping the ego mind...

The Buddha described three kinds of laziness. First, there is the kind of laziness we all know: we don’t want to do anything, and we’d rather stay in bed half an hour later than get up and meditate. Second, there is the laziness of feeling ourselves unworthy, the laziness of thinking, “I can’t do this. Other people can meditate, other people can be mindful, other people can be kind and generous in difficult situations, but I can’t, because I’m too...

The Kalachakra description of the universe is quite different from that presented in the other major Buddhist system of metaphysics: abhidharma, or topics of special knowledge. There are, of course, common elements in both, found in non-Buddhist Indian descriptions as well. These include multiple universes each passing through, at different times from each other, beginningless four-part cycles of formation, stabilization, disintegration and being empty, and each universe having a core mountain, Mount Meru, surrounded by continents, heavens and hells. The...

Buddhists spend a lot of time sitting and meditating on loving-kindness and compassion and sending out loving-kindness and compassion to all beings. But if we do not have compassion towards ourselves, how can we expect to send it out to others? It’s relatively easy to sit on our cushion and think, “May all sentient beings be well and happy,” and send out thoughts of loving-kindness to all those little sentient beings out there on the horizon somewhere! Then somebody comes...

If your practice is wholesome and enjoyable, maintained with a sense of buoyancy and well-being, the chances are extremely remote that any problems that are catalyzed in meditation will become entrenched. Almost every case I have encountered of persistent problems in samatha practice is characterized by a lack of buoyancy and a reliance on sheer discipline. Typically, when samatha practice goes wrong, it gets heavy—frustrating and isolated, barren and dark. You may feel you have to muscle your way through,...

What actually happens when we receive an empowerment? Here, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche helps us to understand a little about it, in this adaptation from Entrance to the Great Perfection: A Guide to the Dzogchen Preliminary Practices, a compilation created by Cortland Dahl. The term “empowerment” derives from the Sanskrit word “abisheka.” Sanskrit is an exceptionally rich language, especially when it comes to the nuances of each individual word. Since one word can contain several levels of meaning, we can end...

A most extraordinary event took place at the Orgyen Dorje Den center in San Francisco in the summer of 1994. Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, a most accomplished meditation master, was teaching an amazingly deep and detailed meditation manual on how to recognize and stabilize buddha-nature. He was assisted by the translator B. Alan Wallace, a brilliant scholar and serious practitioner. Rinpoche taught throughout the weekends, giving profound instructions. On Wednesdays we had a question-answer section, sometimes with a short sitting. Rinpoche...

According to the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni, recorded in the Sutra on Entering the Womb, there are four classes of illness. The first includes illnesses which are relatively inconsequential, and from these illnesses one will recover whether or not one takes medicines. The second class of illness includes more serious, even dangerous, illnesses, but if one takes the appropriate medicines, one will recover from these as well. A modern update of this category would surely include many effective modern...

An interview with Ven. Tenzin Yignyen by Gail Birnbaum Why have an altar? A proper altar holds images or representations of the Buddha’s enlightened body, speech and mind which serve as reminders of the goal of Buddhist practice—to develop these qualities in oneself so as to be able to fully benefit all sentient beings. Where should an altar be placed? The best place for an altar is in a separate shrine room, but if you live in a small place...

To these teachings, His Holiness brings all those qualities which are so uniquely his—the accumulated knowledge of years of study, his incisive insight, his curiosity, humour and compassion, and his seemingly infinite subtlety of mind. During the teachings, there were moments of infectious hilarity, when His Holiness would burst out into peals of laughter, whether it was while speculating on an unorthodox use for the vajra and bell, or at the protracted convolutions of a Finnish translator grappling with his...

The following practice was designed by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. It utilizes what are known in Bön as the Five Warrior Syllables (Pa-wo du-nga). Tenzin Rinpoche explains, “The reason these seed syllables are called warriors is because they are powerful and indestructible. They are associated with the Five Wisdoms—and it is wisdom that is able to penetrate fear and ignorance to cut the roots of samsara.” Rinpoche adds, “Our negative emotions, even physical illness, are a result of ignorance. Using sound...

Excerpts from the Preface Given the number of studies on Madhyamaka in general and the quantity of translations of Madhyamaka texts into Western languages, one might well wonder what the point of yet another book on this topic, with yet another translation of the ninth chapter of the Bodhicaryavatara, might be. The brief answer to this is that, despite the extensive materials on Madhyamaka that are currently available in the West, the overall picture of this Buddhist system in India...

Being Honest Our spiritual mentors are our best friends, and it’s to our advantage to speak and act honestly with them. Some students are two-faced: They act well in the presence of their teachers, but at other times they gossip, lose their temper, and mistreat others. This is counterproductive. Nor should we try to win our teacher’s favor by pretentious sweet talk. Who are we fooling? Our master cares about the state of our minds, not about superficial appearances. It’s...

All students of the Kagyu traditions of Tibetan Buddhism are familiar with Karmapa III Rangjung Dorje’s beautiful prayer, known in brief simply as the Aspiration of Mahamudra, and recited daily in countless Tibetan temples, retreats and homes. The depth of the significance this short litany holds for those practicing within the tradition first became clear to me some twenty years ago, when I had the good fortune to read, under the guidance of the late Kalu Rinpoche, the great commentary...

Initiations and Instructions The next morning Milarepa wished to travel to Chuwar in Manlung. Eager to remain in Milarepa’s presence, Gampopa asked if he might accompany him on his journey, and the guru gladly assented. After a hearty breakfast of hot tsampa and yak butter tea, they were on their way. When they arrived in Chuwar, they went to a large cave where Milarepa had often meditated. There Gampopa asked the Jetsun to bless him, and for the purpose of...

Here is an excerpt from The Seven-Point Mind Training. The Measure of Having Trained the Mind The fifth point concerns how we measure our progress in the Mind Training. What are the indications that the practice is working successfully? All Dharma is included in one purpose. Through hearing, reflection, and meditation, we explore the issue of personal identity and, as Sechibuwa says, we find upon investigation that this “I” as an intrinsic entity, existing in dependently of conceptual designation, is...

Ever since Lama Thubten Yeshe first introduced me to the meditation practice of Green Tara in 1975, I was attracted to this Buddha. Although all Buddhas have the same realizations, Tara’s appearance was very friendly and welcoming. While my mind would sometimes project its self-created authority issues on other Buddhas, admitting my imperfections to Tara didn’t bother me. Fortunately, I gradually came to feel this way about other enlightened ones, too. Lama Yeshe later explained that most Tibetan Buddhists feel...

by Kerry Lee MacLean As parents of five children (two his, two mine and one together), my husband, Hector, and I had a lot of reasons not to include our kids in our daily meditation. For one thing, it was the only bit of peace and quiet we ever got—we’d be crazy to give it up—we needed it! And then the prospect of convincing our children, who’d been raised in a non-stop entertainment society, to stop and do nothing with...

by Lama Sherab Dorje The Great Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, in several of his writings, berates practitioners who believe they can immerse themselves in the “worldly dharmas,” and at the same time practice the essential points of the path. And yet no less an authority than the Mahasiddha Tilopa reminded his disciple Naropa that it is not the appearances of the world that enslave him, but rather his craving for them. We may regard these as endorsements of the monastic...

The following excerpts are taken from the introduction by Elio Guarisco to The Treasury of Knowledge, Book 6: Systems of Buddhist Tantra, by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé, translated by Ingrid Loken McLeod and Elio Guarisco The Meaning of Tantra To those who would embark on a quest for awakening, the Tibetan traditions of Buddhism offer three markedly different and seemingly incompatible sequences of practices: the individual way (hinayana); the universal way (mahayana); and the tantric way or secret mantra way...

Levels of Spiritual Trainees In the present text Atisha explains these various aspects of the path within the frame work of practices suited to practitioners of the three capacities—the small-, middling- and supreme-capacity practitioners. He is not necessarily referring to three independent categories of individuals, some with a higher capacity, some with a middling or average capacity, and others with a small or limited capacity. What this division principally refers to is the different levels of mental capacity that a...

Analytical meditation How do we know that we have gained the intended result from a given meditation? How much time should we spend on each meditation? How do we prevent the experiences we gain from deteriorating? We shall then cover the general points regarding this now, and points related to specific meditation topics will be dealt with as they arise in the root text. Analytical meditation was briefly mentioned above. We shall spend some time explaining it, since it is...

The Second Dalai Lama now had a number of responsibilities revolving around an annual schedule. These included leading the Maitreya Festival in Lhasa toward the end of the year and also the various new year ceremonies, such as the torgya rite for exorcizing all negativities of the old year (performed on the last day of the year). Also as part of the new year rituals, there were religious ceremonies for opening the year auspiciously and thus encouraging prosperity and harmony...

by His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Mindfulness Meditation Techniques Every day we have different mental experiences. We are in a good mood or a bad mood. We are happy or unhappy. These thoughts are always working on us. These experiences are natural, but it is important to understand their nature. They arise, abide, and cease, continually and seemingly without end. We must understand the origins of our thoughts. To accomplish this, we should practice Calm Abiding and Insight Meditation. As...

One year, as the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar was drawing to a close, he was staying in solitude at Chuwar at Drok Menlung when a plague befell the people, killing many humans and animals. On the eleventh day of the following month, as the sun set, a young woman wearing pearl and turquoise ornaments and silken robes appeared, radiating light. In her hands were a pair of white silken cloths decorated in scarlet with designs resembling flames, surrounded...

From Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice By Jonathan Landaw and Andy Weber VAJRASATTVA Vajrasattva the diamond, or adamantine, being is the main deity employed for purification by practitioners of all levels of tantra. Depending on which type of practice is being followed, he can be visualized either alone or with consort. Vajrasattva with consort Vajrasattva Vajrasattva is white in color signifying his immaculate purity. Like Vajradhara, of whom he is an emanation, he holds a vajra...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This short excerpt is taken from Groundless Paths: The Prajnaparamita Sutras, The Ornament of Clear Realization, and Its Commentaries in the Tibetan Nyingma Tradition by Karl Brunholzl. Based on the four’ stages of yoga, Madhyamikas realize all phenomena as the nature of such- ness free from reference points and...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. ONE OF THE CLOSEST EXPERIENCES YOU CAN HAVE HAPPENS WHEN you are able to reach a deep place of stillness, like the stillness of a mountain. Being in this deep place of stillness can be no different from abiding in the inseparable state of the essence and nature of...

The beauty of this Mahayana practice for the end of life is that it can be shared with friends and family who may not be Buddhist. This simple, five-aspected practice is adapted from The Seven- Point Mind Training: A Tibetan Method for Cultivating Mind and Heart by B. Alan Wallace. The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. When bodhisattvas come back and start working on their mind again, they remember their previous existences and their progression in the practice. But they, too, have to travel along the path of liberation during each new existence since they develop from life to life a kind of training, “the...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Most of us know that tulkus are recognized as reincarnations of specific masters, but we may not know the beginnings of .he tulku system. Here’s the story, along with a bit of the fascinating history of the first recognized tulku and his magical dealings with the famed Kubilai...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE Before the development of human language, there were only the sounds of nature: waterfalls, wind, rain. Sound had no conceptual associations. When we trace sound farther back to its very beginnings, we arrive at the pure, primordial sounds of the seed syllables. According to the...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An example of how this practice can help free us from difficult feelings from a student of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: “When I added the last sacred syllable, DZA, to my formal practice, both times I had a very powerful emotional release. Tears came flooding down my face, and I...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE This extraordinary, step-by-step method for dealing with disease is rooted in the shamanism of the ancient Tibetan Bon tradition. Best-selling author Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is widely considered a master of the tradition and is known for his clarity and generous sharing of these practices. The...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Question: Rinpoche, I have a little bit of confusion about reconciling the mahamudra system of instruction, in which it seems basically to be saying that, because the mind’s nature is naturally insubstantial and empty, it can be looked at and recognized at any time. I want to reconcile this...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Tibetan Non-dual Exercise Mahamudra meditation techniques can help us break though directly to the nature of mind. This exercise is one of many step-by-step techniques offered in Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche’s brilliant book, Pointing Out the Dharmakaya. This technique begins with looking at an object of visual perception, such...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by KARL BRUNNHOLZL This excerpt is taken from Karl Brunnholzl’s The Heart Attack Sutra, a practical and clear explanation of The Heart Sutra, perhaps the most well-known of the core Buddhist texts. As, the basic inquisitiveness and curiosity of our mind, prajna is both precise and playful at the...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE In this adaptation from Tibetan Yogas of Body, Speech and Mind, best-selling author Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche gives an invaluable teaching on transforming out experience of being embodied. Even from our place in the pain body―that familiar, dense sense of egoistic identity formed by our conceptual,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by B. ALAN WALLACE Sometimes the wish for results from our meditation practice can get in the way. In this adaptation from The Seven-Point Mind Training, Alan Wallace lays out a few of the hidden or not-so-hidden wishes for a pay-off that can be problematic. We can dispense first...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. EMPTINESS IS NOT ABOUT SOME THING CALLED EMPTINESS THAT we have to realize, but it is about letting go of everything that prevents us from realizing what the true nature of our mind actually is. The nature of the mind is something extremely simple and extremely close. This is...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by VEN. THUBTEN CHONYI Incense perfumed the air, an offering for the 14,000 Buddha images that line the walls of the Great Hall. I stood with about 200 hundred other women and fifty men, all dressed in graceful dark robes, in impeccably straight rows. Ven. Jigme stood two people...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. WHEN WE GO INSIDE, SHOCKINGLY WE ALWAYS DISCOVER that the very thing that is preventing us from recognizing the most beautiful truth is not really outside, it is inside. There turns out to be a veil that is very thin and transient. The human mind finds it difficult to...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Adapted from http://www.temple-tonprize.org/currentwinner.html THE DALAI LAMA, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader whose long-standing engagement with multiple dimensions of science and with people far beyond his own religious traditions has made him an incomparable global voice for universal ethics, nonviolence, and harmony among world religions, has won the 2012 Templeton...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. B. Alan Wallace with Mathieu Ricard (Courtesy of Mind & Life Institute, photo by Raphaele Demandre) by B. ALAN WALLACE SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, a rapidly growing number of scientific studies have revealed the health benefits of various kinds of mindfulness-based meditation. Brain scans, EEG measurements, behavioral...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by ANAM THUBTEN The most direct of Buddhist paths is here presented by best-selling author Anam Thubten with his trademark clarity. This excerpt is adapted from his new book, The Magic of Awareness. The practice of true devotion is devotion to life. It is not devotion to some grand idea...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by LAMA KUNSANG, LAMA PEMO, & MARIE AUBELE Why, since the thirteenth century, in the Tibetan tradition, has it been necessary to find tulkus and rinpoches as quickly as possible? First and foremost, it is a question of memory. Not all tulkus have attained the high grounds of bodhisattvas,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BODHISATTVAS CLEARLY SEE THE DIFFERENT BARDOS (intermediate states) that constitute the field of experiences of ordinary beings within the cycle of samsara. There are six types of bardo: the bardo of birth, awakening, dreaming, the moment of death, becoming, and finally, meditation. This last state is the only one...

The following article is from the Spring, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. authors of History of the Karmapas How did you come to write History of the Karmapas? Lama Pemo: Starting in adolescence Lama Kunsang was very interested in biographies of Buddhist saints. Because he repeatedly recounted the biographies to all of his friends and family members, he ended up knowing...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. How They Affect the Body by KHENPO KARTHAR Khenpo Karthar is widely regarded as a great master. In this adaptation, taken from his book Dharma Paths, he describes how the inner energies or winds are affected by various meditation postures. Why do we need to sit in the various...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by KHENCHEN THRANGU RINPOCHE Because the lords of the five Buddha-families beautifully exemplify the powers and aspects of the enlightened state toward which we’re aspiring, an understanding of them helps us to to see how our main human faults contain within them the core of what we can become...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BEGIN WITH A SENSE OF EASE. Release your awareness into the field of tactile sensations throughout the body, remaining mindfully present. Settle your body in its natural state, imbued with relaxation, stillness, and a posture of vigilance. The supine position is profoundly relaxing, and if you are resting in...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. MINDING CLOSELY: The Four Applications of Mindfulness by B. Alan Wallace “Alan Wallace is one of the great Western Buddhist thinkers of our day.”―HOWARD CUTLER, co-author with H.H. the Dalai Lama of The Art of Happiness “The ability to sustain close mindfulness is a learned skill that offers profound...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. FOR MANY OF US OUR MOST SUBTLE ENERGY-WINDS and the potency of the deeper forces within the body remain dormant. The unleashing of these forces in what is sometimes described as a spiritual emergency can be a shocking and extremely disorienting experience. The kundalini awakening, as it is called...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An Interview with ANDREW HOLECEK As founder of the Forum of Living and Dying and the well-known author of The Power and the Pain, Dr. Andrew Holecek teaches seminars throughout the country on spiritual hardship and the Tibetan views of life, death, and beyond. Jeff Cox: What moved you...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The phenomena of the wheel of life and of transcendence of suffering arise from the creative display of awareness. If one realizes this, phenomena are pure lands; without such realization, they are ordinary reality. Practitioners neither accept nor reject; they have no reference points. Wherever they look, the sun...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. USUALLY WHEN WE BREATHE, we breathe in and, as soon as we have finished breathing in, we immediately start breathing out. And as soon as we have finished breathing out, we start breathing in again. There is never any space or gap in between the in-breath and the out-breath....

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Six Session Kalachakra Guru Yoga at Du Khor Choe Ling Following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra Initiation event in Washington, D.C. this past July, twenty-five monks in attendance at the ceremonies traveled to Ithaca, New York, the site of Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, the North American...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In his autobiography Freedom in Exile, His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks of his attachment as a child to the monastery’s Master of the Kitchen, commenting, “I sometimes think that the act of bringing food is one of the basic roots of all relationships.” And the connection between giving...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Eminence Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche Ngawang Chokyi Lodoe (1923-2011) ONE OE THE GREAT MASTERS OF Tibetan Buddhism, His Eminence Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, passed away on September 2,2011. Most recently he served as head of the Nyingma School, but was known as a leading proponent of the Rime (non-sectarian) approach....

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE This invaluable teaching on healing physical and psychological problems using sound―used since ancient times in Tibet―is adapted from The Tibetan Yogas of Body, Speech and Mind, by best-selling author Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. A chapter of the Bon Mother Tantra describes various syllables you can sound...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THEY SAY THAT THE INITIAL realization of the nature of the mind is the first breakthrough. It’s a very important point in all Buddhist schools. At that moment, you cease to be an ordinary person. You become in Buddhist parlance an arya, a noble one. It doesn’t mean you...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by JETSUNMA TENZIN PALMO Patience may not be the flashiest of all of the virtues, but it’s one that allows us to get through each day with some measure of grace. In this excerpt from Into the Heart of Life, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo offers a fresh look at the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Q: If one has taken a teacher and then sees them behaving badly or in seemingly inappropriate ways, what advice do you give students who are interpreting this? Is it even acceptable to leave a teacher once you have made a commitment to him? Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo: Personally, I...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Go for the stability, then the clarity Q: How can one develop greater clarity without yielding to scattering, tensing up the mind, and giving rise to stress? A: As one is cultivating stability, one should be especially on guard for the arising of laxity. For the development of clarity,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by GEN LAMRIMPA, translated and edited by B. ALAN WALLACE We’re endlessly creative in finding various avenues for our laziness. Gen Lamrimpa—here translated by B. Alan Wallace—gives practical, expert advice on applying specific antidotes to counteract our laziness, whatever its guises. This adaptation is from How To Practice Shamatha Meditation:...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by ROB PREECE Just as Jung recognized that the psyche’s way of revealing itself is through dreams, so too in the Tibetan tradition, dreams are often considered a way of discovering the effect of practice. There are even texts, referred to during the giving of empowerments, which describe the...

The following article is from the Winter, 2012 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His HOLINESS KYABJE DUNGSE THINLEY NORBU RINPOCHE, eldest son of former head of the Nyingma lineage His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, passed into parinirvana December 26, 2011. Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was widely recognized as an emanation of the great master Longchenpa and was one of the most deeply revered...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Throughout history awakened ones have celebrated the rapture of mystical states with inspired verse, sung extemporaneously. This book offers a rare glimpse into the mysticism of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, a tradition based mainly on the profound teaching of 2 women. This compendium of spontaneous verse sung by tantric...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. What are the most important points of difference between the major schools of Buddhist philosophy? This rich, medium-length survey offers a lively answer. The introduction, aimed at those new to Buddhist thought, sets up a dialogue between the schools on the most controversial topics in Buddhist philosophy. Jamyang Shayba...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. AN INTERVIEW WITH BARDOR TULKU RINPOCHE Tibetan Buddhist mantras are words originally spoken by a Buddha while deep in meditation. Reciting them helps to replace the endless, internal chatter of the mind with calming syllables that purify karmic imprints, bring beneficial energy, focus the concentration, and offer protection and...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Top photo: Buddhists from Bhutan, Cambodia, U.K., U.S. and around the world discover common ground at the Sakyadhita conferences. The 8th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women will be hosted in Korea from June 27 to July 2, 2004. Since 1987, Sakyadhita: International Association of Buddhist Women has grown...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY VEN. TENZIN CHOERAB Venerable Jampel Tenzin, known to his Western students as Gen Lamrimpa, passed as glorious as he lived. A lifetime meditator, he unified his words and his actions. Humility to the nth degree, kindness and love consistently given to all those whom he came in contact,...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tulku Nyima Rinpoche – Spiritual Director: Tulku Nyima Rinpoche was born in 1942 in Tromtar, Eastern Tibet (Kham), The great Jamyang Khyentse Choki Lodro recognized him as a reincarnate lama, a tulku, when he was just a small child. At the age of 12 he went to Nyoshul Monastery...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the XlVth Dalai Lama will confer the Kalachakra Initiation for World Peace in Toronto, Canada from April 25-May 5 2004. The word Kalachakra or Wheel of Time, refers to the unique presentation of cycles of time within the Kalachakra Tantra. The Meaning of Kalachakra The Kalachakra Initiation...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The practice of the deity of compassion Avalokiteshvara is one of the main introductory meditation practices presented in Tibetan Buddhist centers across North America and Europe. Trainings in Compassion includes translations of key Kagyu lineage meditation manuals authored by the great Tibetan siddha Thangtong Gyalpo, the renowned nineteenth century...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tremendously accessible, fresh, and deep explication of the view and essential meditation of Dzogchen, the practice of non- dual experience. The wonderful commentary is based around the treasure text of Nuden Dorje, a text that is in the Men ngag style, a personal instruction distilling the author’s own realization....

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. 2004 INDIA, Dharamsala March 7-21 His Holiness will teach on Zapaltrul Ogyen jigme Choekyi Wangpo’s (1808-1887) Kunzang Lama’i Zhal- lung (Words of my Perfect Lama) and Jetsun Milarepa’s Spiritual Songs and Semnyid Ngalso (Relaxing the Mind Itself.) March 26 – April 4 At the request of Loseling Tulku Association,...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY VICTORIA HUCKENPAHLER Five years have passed since the first International Congress on Tibetan Medicine. In that time, what progress has been made in welcoming Tibetan medicine into the growing family of alternative therapies sought in the West? The question was answered—and for the most part favorably—through the many...

The following article is from the Winter, 2004 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche The following is an excerpt from a chapter by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche from Snow Lion’s new book Trainings in Compassion. ENTERING THE TRAININGS IN COMPASSION When looking at the notion of enlightenment, the possibility of becoming completely awake, the only method that can lead us...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An Interview with TENZIN PALMO Although Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s international bestseller Cave in the Snow chronicled her twelve years of seclusion in a remote cave, her new book Into the Heart of Life offers a very down-to-earth guide for spiritual practice right here, right now, no cave required. In...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is now very common for people in the West to receive empowerments into extraordinary and complex tantric practices. However, to embark upon them without having first prepared the ground may have a number of negative consequences. Our psychological and energetic maturity simply may not have been developed sufficiently...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by ROB PREECE As both a psychotherapist and Buddhist teacher, Rob Preece is an excellent guide for dealing with issues that emerge for Buddhist practitioners. In this adaptation from Preparing for Tantra—an excellent guide to the preliminary practices—he looks at the ways we take refuge in the wrong things....

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Q: How are lovingkindness and compassion at work when a spiritual friend continually rejects and disappoints a student? I suppose this is for the student’s benefit, but I am not sure how. A: The relationship depends both on the spiritual friend and on you. A spiritual friend can be...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. ALEXANDER BERZIN has a long association with the Kalachakra Tantra. Having studied it under one of the most learned teachers, Serkong Rinpoche, Alex is often called upon to introduce this tantra to attendees of the Kalachakra initiations given by the Dalai Lama. Some of you who are reading this...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by VERONICA LEO and TASHI DAKNEWA Three coins, three wishes, a folding magic wand, and a clever cat accompany an earnest young boy on this magical journey. A simple and gently told story that teaches children (and wonderfully reminds adults!) of the true fortune that comes when we follow...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SUSAN HIGGINBOTHAM, our Marketing Director, passed away peacefully on May 22nd, 2011 and will be very much missed by many loving friends and family. She is survived by her husband John Stetch. Born in Brooklyn on November 29,1953, Susan graduated from the High School of the Performing Arts (Fame!) in...

The following article is from the Summer, 2011 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by H.H. THE DALAI LAMA After coming into exile, I have made sincere efforts to establish a democratic system of governance in the last more than 30 years. The Tibetans in exile say our democracy is a gift from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Ten years ago, the system...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY AVERY SOLOMON Every year or two since 1987, several top western scientists meet for a week with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, other Buddhist Lamas, and observers to have a dialogue between Buddhism and Science. This year, the focus topic was the nature and origin of life. Several...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Photo of The Dalai Lama by Alison Wright, The Spirit of Tibet, Snow Lion This September His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit several U.S. cities. On September 5, 2003 he’ll give a public talk in San Francisco. (For information see www.himalayan-fotmdation.org.) This year’s Mind and Life Conference—as well...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Clear, eloquent, simple and profound, His Holiness’ teachings are easily accessible to beginning practitioners, yet richly nourishing to those more advanced in practice. In The Path to Bliss, the Dalai Lama shows how visualization, reason, and contemplation can be systematically crafted to enhance personal development. Beginning with practices designed...

The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by BHIKSHUNI THUBTEN CHODRON Imagine Chinese Buddhists going to the airport to pick up Catholic nuns, looking for figures swathed in long black habits and starched veils, and being puzzled when women in skirts appeared instead. Imagine Catholic nuns at dinner at a Chinese temple gingerly picking at the...

The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “An amazing and precious gift…a masterpiece on the Dzogchen teachings.”—TULKU THUBTEN RINPOCHE “A wonderful job…A true gem of a book.”—PROF. STEVEN GOODMAN, Asian Studies, CIIS These fascinating discussions between 11th century court ladies and the great master Padmasambhava, available for the first time in English, weave intriguing issues of...

The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Stages of Meditation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama This extensive explanation of the hows and whys of meditation is a commentary on a classic meditation handbook by Kamalashila, which the Dalai Lama calls a key that opens the door to all other major Buddhist scriptures. Practice-oriented Westerners will...

By B. Alan Wallace, Author of The Seven-Point Mind Training ISBN: 9781559392006 “Readers who put the advice this book contains into practice may indeed transform their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace, the key to greater peace and happiness within and in the world at large.” ―The Dalai Lama The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original...

The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by B. ALAN WALLACE An ex-monk with both a physics degree and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, B. Alan Wallace is extraordinarily well suited to his prominent role as organizer of the Mind and Life Conferences. During his many years as a monk, he did a 4-year series of...

The following article is from the Summer, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The following excerpts are taken from Parting from the Four Attachments, by Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. The teaching on the Four Attachments is universally regarded as one of the jewels of Tibetan Buddhism. This detailed and lucid commentary explores the nature of mind, points out inevitable pitfalls in spiritual practice...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “Dharma without compromise” NITARTHA INSTITUTE The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche had just finished a talk at a Public Day program at this past summer’s Nitartha Institute in which he used the above phrase. Afterwards, as we were walking back to his residence, he turned and said, with the usual sparkle...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Photo by Peter Aronson This short gem of a book shows how distorted perceptions and disturbing emotions―arising from our misunderstanding of reality―can be completely uprooted, resulting in a freedom from suffering. Understanding the nature of reality is the key to liberation. The wonderfully concise Heart Sutra is considered the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “The Manual of Standard Tibetan is the best resource available for teaching modern spoken Tibetan bar none. Its grammatical explanations are precise, detailed and clear, while its dialogues and surrounding text are rich with authentic cultural information on the social contexts in which Tibetan has meaning. It should quickly...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Western students of dharma may be surprised to find a Tibetan tradition with a practice and doctrine essentially the same as the spiritual teachings of the four well-known Tibetan Buddhist schools but which does not trace its lineage back to the Indian Prince, Shakyamuni. But Bon is just such...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Imagine the Dalai Lama as an engineer. If he weren’t the spiritual leader of Tibet, that’s what he’d like to be—according to Nobel Laureate and McGovern Institute president Philip Sharp. Sharp made the comment at the 11th Mind & Life conference, held in September on the MIT campus, the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Do you want to learn to read Classical Tibetan? If you know how to read the Tibetan u-chen script and can recognize words, How to Read Classical Tibetan will show you—at your own pace—all the relationships that make Tibetan easy to read. It is a complete language course built...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House on September 10, President Bush expressed his strong support for the Dalai lama’s efforts to find a negotiated solution with the Chinese leadership. The Dalai Lama’s last Washington visit was in May 2001, making this his first opportunity to meet...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. At the heart of successful Mahamudra practice is the ability to get directly at the nature of mind. The 9th Karmapa was the acknowledged master of this approach. No more authoritative instructions exist than the three texts he wrote. This easy-to-use, practical manual, which serves also as an indispensable...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The most in-depth and famed text on Mahamudra ever written, The Ocean of Definitive Meaning by the 9th Karmapa offers a detailed, uniquely comprehensive presentation. Thrangu Rinpoche has distilled the essence of the 9th Karmapa’s massive text and gives guidance in implementing the instructions. The availability of the translation...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Incurable diseases, inescapable weapons of mass destruction, and a weakening of the earth’s elements due to pollutants and poisons in the environment. Sound familiar? Padmasambhava, the 9th century founder of Tibetan Buddhism, prophesied what sounds a lot like our world. Through his wisdom and compassion, Padmasambava gave specific instructions...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Wearing a mala without knowing its significance is similar to when a woman adorns herself with a necklace, according to the Tibetan Bon sutra. The sutra specifies that one should hold the mala above the waist when praying, and that one should avoid: stepping on a mala passing one’s...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. During the early morning hours of Sunday, November 17, His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche passed into parinirvana at Khadro Ling, his main center in Brazil. Recognized as the tulku of Chagdud Tenpai Gyaltsen at the age of three, Rinpoche entered his first three-year retreat at the age of eleven,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The first authorized compilation of the Karmapa’s teachings, plus stories from his life and examples of his art As the second millennium drew to a close, the Seventeenth Karmapa leapt from the roof at his monastery in Tibet. Evading his Chinese guards, the then 14-year-old spiritual leader began a...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY JULIE ADLER On December 27th, 2002, a crisp sunny day, sitting on tarps and making tormas, to a backdrop of snowcapped lower Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, monks from Gyudmed Tantric College in Dharamsala were doing a puja to bless and purify the land that is now the foundation...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899) was one of the most influential figures and prolific writers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. He was a founder and the single most important proponent of the nonsectarian movement that flourished in eastern Tibet and remains popular today. Two additional texts discuss his previous...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Kagyu lineage is one of the four major lineages of Tibetan Buddhism; the Karma Kagyu is one of its main branches. These traditions trace their origins to Shakyamuni Buddha, who taught more than 2500 years ago. Led by the Gyalwang Karmapas since the twelfth century, the lineage includes...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Khandro Lhamo in 1987 (Photo by Matthieu Ricard, The Spirit of Tibet: The Life and World of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Aperture.) BY VIVIAN KURZ Khandro Lhaiuo, the wife of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche passed away on Sunday, March 30, 7:20 PM in Nepal after a brief illness. She was 90...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. April 6, 2003 Dear friends, In the short time since the war began, I’ve taught in Idaho, California, and Missouri. In all these places, people were asking for Dharma advice on how to work with the emotions that were coming up for them around the war. The following, then,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY KATHY WESLEY Woodstock, NY—In the basement of a Buddhist monastery in the Catskills, with soft rock music playing on a radio in the background, David Fischer tussles with a challenge of metaphysical proportions. “We want to make sure the table is at the right height for the seat,”...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY MARK TURIN Digital Himalaya is a pilot project to develop digital collection, archiving and distribution strategies for multimedia anthropological information from the Himalayan region. Based at Cornell and Cambridge universities, the project began in December 2000. The initial phase involves digitizing a set of existing ethnographic archives comprised...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. [Michele Martin is the author of the just released Music in the Sky: The Life, Art &Teachings of the 17th Karmapa. I How did you come to write Music in the Sky? It’s hard to say when you start something because there’s always causes behind causes. I went to...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In Tibetan religious literature, Jamgon Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge in ten books stands out as a unique encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet. Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899), a pivotal figure in eastern Tibet’s non-sectarian movement, was one of the...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Book Five, Buddhist Ethics, is considered by many scholars to be the heart of Jamgon Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge. Kongtrul explains here the complete code of personal liberation as it applies to both monastic and lay persons, the precepts for those aspiring to the life of a bodhisattva, and...

The following article is from the Spring, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The following excerpts are taken from the new Snow Lion title Parting from the Four Attachments: Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen’s Song of Experience on Mind Training and the View by Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. The first piece is part of an introductory biography that precedes the text. Another incident in Chogye...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Enlightenment Experience Celebration No. 4 (EEC4) is taking place in Mongolia June 1st through July 7th, 2003 and is open to everyone. Events will take place at the Gandenling Monastery in Ulaan Bataar. Many of the teachings and initiations will take place indoors at the newly constructed Idgaa...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Reflections on a Mountain Lake was named one of the top ten spiritual books of 2002 in a December article in USA Today. The book was written by Ani Tenzin Palmo and published by Snow Lion. The list of the year’s top religion books, which was compiled by the...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Machik’s Complete Explanation is the most famous book of the teachings of Machik Labdron, the great female saint and yogini of 11-12th century Tibet, now finally translated in its entirety into English. Machik developed a system, the Mahamudra Chod, that takes the Buddha’s teachings as a basis and applies...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Sakya Trizin (center), His Eminence Raina Vajra Rinpoche (left), and His Eminence Gyana Vajra Rinpoche (right). His Holiness the Sakya Trizin and his eldest son, Dungsei Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, will come to the United States in the summer of 2003 to consecrate his seat at Tsechen...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A stunning visual introduction to the artistic and spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. According to the monks who create it, the Kalachakra Sand Mandala, also known as the Wheel of Time, imparts peace and healing to all beings and to the planet. Remarkable not only for its stunning beauty...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Tenzin Palmo with nuns of Dongyu Gatsal Ling BY TENZIN PALMO Tenzin Palmo spent 12 years meditating alone in a Himalayan cave. Her experiences, recorded in Cave in the Snow, a book written by Vicki Mackenzie, have received a lot of media attention. Tenzin Palmo’s new book, Reflections...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A talk given by ALEX BERZIN in Morelia, Mexico October 10, 2001 Definition and Implications Renunciation (nges-‘byung) is the determination to be free from not only some form of suffering, but also from its causes. It entails the willingness to give up that suffering and its causes. Thus, it...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY TENZIN DESHEK, NAMGYAL MONASTERY, July 6, 2002 On this very special day, the sixty- seventh anniversary of the birth of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, we Tibetans take the opportunity to recall that in spite of the continued occupation of Tibet and the many difficulties that result, we...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY LURA McCALLUM [Jhampa Shaneman is featured at www.SuowLionPub.com as our Buddhist astrologer. Every month he posts his analysis for our customers on our website. He has studied with many outstanding teachers and completed a traditional three-year retreat. You can also see his website at www.buddhist-atstrotogy.com.] LuRA McCALLUM: Jhampa, you...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Above photo: Panchen Otrul (front, far left) with Mongolian Buddhists. For many centuries Buddhism was an integral part of Mongolian culture. Prior to 1921 and the advent of communism in Mongolia, Tibet and Mongolia had strong historic links. They both followed similar Buddhist lineages and there was all interchange...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche is among the wisest and most compassionate Buddhist masters alive today.”—PEMA CHODRON “In presenting the very first meditation instruction crafted for Tibetans by the master Kamalashila, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche distills the wisdom of India in an intimate, personal instruction, as true for the contemporary western practitioner...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche was born in Kham around 1939. In 1951, he was taken to Lhasa as a possible re-incarnation of the Panchen Lama who had died in 1937. However due to the political situation at that time a candidate from Amdo was selected. Rinpoche was then given a...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This teaching was given to the Shambhala community in Boulder in the fall of 1991. “Exercises are given which can be practiced by anyone in any circumstance.”—The Tibet Journal Three traditional Nyingma teachings were selected for contemporary Buddhists who want to improve the quality of their practice during the...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “This is one of the most significant works on Tibetan Buddhism to be published in recent years, treating with grace, beauty and depth a most important subject. This is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive works on the Nyingma to appear in English.”—Glenn H. Mullin, Tibetan Review “An invaluable...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Trul khor exercise called “Extending the four continents.” BY ALEJANDRO CHAOUL-REICH Two years ago I wrote an article for Snow Lion about the growing interest in the Tibetan physical yoga (Trul khor or “magical wheel”) in the West. At that time I announced our first Trul khor training at...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY GAIL HOLLAND [This article appeared in IONS Review, No. 59, March-May 2002. Reprinted with permission of the author and the Institute of Noetic Sciences (www.noetic.org).] When David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, proposed investigating the “rainbow body,” a phenomenon in which the corpses of highly developed spiritual individuals reputedly...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY BHIKSHUNI THUBTEN CHODRON The second Gethsemani Encounter, a six-day interfaith dialogue between Buddhists and Christians, was held at Gethsemani Abbey (the late Thomas Merton’s monastery) in Kentucky, in April, 2002. Organized by the Monastic Inter-religious Dialogue, a Catholic monastic organization, the dialogue consisted of about twenty Buddhists (Theravada, Zen,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The five member Vajra Vidya Retreat Board have a preliminary design, which is shown here. At present the following is planned: The completed retreat center will have two wings of 10 retreat rooms each. These wings will also have quarters for a Khenpo on one side and nuns on...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were deeply shocking and very sad. I regard such terrible destructive actions as acts of hatred, for violence is the result of destructive emotions. Events of this kind make clear that if we allow our...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “One of the greatest religious or secular works in the library of our human heritage.”—Prof. Robert A.F. Thurman, Columbia University This much anticipated third volume (the full set is three vol.) contains a presentation of the two most important topics to be found in the Great Treatise: meditative serenity...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Unlike most books by the Dalai Lama which are edited compilations of talks that he has given, this book consists of two texts that he himself wrote and two that he chose—all especially aimed at helping Western readers become better grounded in Buddhism. He wrote The Buddhism of Tibet...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Kalmuck Mongolian Buddhist Centers, New Jersey It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast. The first, Om is composed of three...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This book offers experiential and analytical approaches to this most important and difficult topic in Buddhism. During a long retreat on the west coast, Gen Lamrimpa drew on his theoretical training as well as his years of solitary meditative experience to show students how they can gain realization of...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. While many people want to learn Buddhist meditation, they are often very sceptical and uneasy about the philosophies and religious elements that go with it. Many think that Buddhist practices and meditative experiences can be easily separated from belief systems within which they are embedded. Many have the idea...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Traleg Kyabgon, Rinpoche, President and Spiritual Director of Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute located in Melbourne, Australia and the Hudson Valley, New York, was recognized as the ninth incarnation of the Traleg line by His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa. The Traleg line can be traced back to...

The following article is from the Winter, 2003 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This is to wish you a most wonderful New Year for the year 2003. (March 3rd is the beginning of Losar) What a nice thing this concept of a New Year. We have a chance to make a new beginning. We have a chance to leave some bad habits....

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sacred Ground describes two journeys: a journey outward to specific pilgrimage places in Eastern Tibet; and a journey inward, to the sacred world of tantra, accessible through contemplation and meditation. It sheds light on Himalayan Buddhists’ concepts of sacred land, places of pilgrimage in tantric Buddhism, and how pilgrimage...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY ELEANOR ROWE Gyatrul Rinpoche, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, and H.H. Penor Rinpoche In the late nineties, news reached me that my teacher, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo was planning to move to Sedona, Arizona along with many of her ordained sangha (including my son). This American-born lama was enthroned at Kunzang...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. How do we free ourselves from the demon of self-concem? These instructions are found in Eight Verses for Training the Mind, one of the most important texts from a genre of Tibetan spiritual writings known as lojong (literally “mind training”). The root text was written by the eleventh-century meditator...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. September 18, 2001 QUESTION: People in this country are having many strong emotional responses to last week’s terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. What advice would you give to someone who came to you overwhelmed with emotion or feeling a desire for revenge? TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE: It is...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. [Upon hearing of the destruction of the World Trade Center, this wish for negativity to subside was written with pure intention by Thrangu Rinpoche. May virtuous goodness increase. (September 20, 2001).] We are obliged to cherish and protect this world, The place we humans call our home. So why...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. September 12, 2001 His Excellency Mr. George W. Bush The President The White House Washington, DC 20500 U.S.A. Your Excellency, I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attacks that took place involving four apparently hijacked aircrafts and the immense devastation these caused. It is a terrible tragedy that so...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. “One of the most wonderful aspects of this remarkable book is the interaction between the laureates…”—Today’s Librarian While many people who strive to bring the world into peaceful balance work in relative anonymity, only a few have received international recognition for their efforts. Nine of these outstanding individuals convened...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY FRANKLIN CRAWFORD ITHACA—More than any other medium, books make the greatest contribution to the advancement of the Tibetan cause. Books: Not Hollywood movies, not television; neither newsprint nor magazines nor the innumerable web sites orbiting hyperspace: Books. That’s the opinion of the Dalai Lama himself, expressed during a...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY POLLY TURNER Many teachings in the Yungdrung Bon tradition today are very similar to those found in other major Tibetan spiritual traditions—everything from elaborate visualizations of tantric deities to the simplicity and immediacy of the dzogchen meditations. Contributing to the richness and depth of the Bon heritage are...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This sparkling collection of Dharma teachings by Tenzin Palmo addresses issues of common concent to Buddhist practitioners from all traditions. “Tenzin Palmo is one of the most genuine and accomplished of western practitioners. Her voice is simple and pure, wise and true.”—Jack Kornfield, author of Path with a Heart...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The publishers of the Shambhala Sun are launching a new journal for everyone with a serious interest in Buddhist practice. Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly is the first in-depth, practice-oriented journal for Buddhists of all traditions. It will feature a wide selection of outstanding Buddhist teachings, as well as stories,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ngawang Zangpo 360 pp., 6 x 9, cloth #GURIHI $29.95 -Available in August- To Tibetan Buddhists Guru Rinpoche is a Buddha. In 763, Tibet’s powerful armies overran the capital of China and installed a puppet emperor. Why didn’t Tibet continue its aggressive military campaigns? This transformation was due...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY ANDREW SMALL Kyabje Pema Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche, one of the strongest beacons of the dharma alive in our world today, will bestow the Nam Chb transmissions and empowerments in Austin, Texas. The Nam Cho treasures are specifically linked to the Nyingma school’s Palytil lineage (of which His Holiness...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche translated and edited by Susanne Schefczyk 112 pp., 5 1/2×8 1/2, glossary #EVCO $14.95 This introduction to Buddhist psychology supplies essential instructions for successful meditation practice. Rinpoche presents meditation practices that can powerfully influence and ultimately transform the mind into the purified mind of...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THREE SIMPLE ELEMENTS PRACTICES Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche shares these examples of simple meditation practices in shamanism, tantra and dzogchen, adapted from his forthcoming book on the five elements. In shamanism, working with the raw natural elements involves connecting with the external element and internalizing its qualities at deeper and...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THE FIVE ELEMENTS IN TIBETAN SHAMANISM, TANTRA, AND DZOGCHEN by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 176 pp., 5 photos, 30 line drawings, glossary, bibliography. #HEWIFO $16.95 In the shamanic world-view of Tibetan Bon presented here, the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space are accessed through the raw...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, ed. & intro. by Michael Katz. This revised and enlarged edition includes additional material from a profoiuid and personal Dzogchen book which Chogyal Namkhai Norbu has been writing for many years. This material expands and deepens the first edition’s emphasis on specific exercises to develop...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Venerable Traleg Kyapgon Rinpoche at his monastery (Tra’gu) in Tibet (photo by Given Merrick) BY THE VENERABLE TRALEG KYABGON RINPOCHE, IX Because of the ever-present fear of death and the lack of contact with death and dying, it is important, from a Buddhist point of view,...

The following article is from the Spring, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Fundamental Teachings of the Sakya Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub, fore, by H.H. Sakya Trizin, trans, by Lobsang Dagpa and Jay Goldberg. The most profound and fundamental teaching of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is that of the Path Including Its Result. This unique...

The following article is from the Summer, 2002 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. [Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche is the head of the JangTer (Northern Treasure) Nyingma lineage, as the throneholder of Dorje Drak (Vajra Rock) monastery. one of the six great seats or mother monasteries of the Nyingma lineage. He is a holder of all of the great Kama and Terma traditions of...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Stages of Meditation THE DALAI LAMA translated by Ven. Geshe Lobsang Jordhen, Losang Choephel Ganchenpa, and Jeremy Russell ISBN 9781559391979 In Stages of Meditation, the Dalai Lama explains the principles of meditation in a practice-oriented format especially suited to Westerners. Based upon the middle section of the...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Thubten ChocLron. 160 pp., ISBN 1-55939-153-7 $12.95 #BUBE Buddhism, for Beginners answers the fundamental questions and issues that arise in the minds of modern Western individuals who are new to this tradition of practical spirituality. Written in clear and engaging language, this book presents the Buddhist approach to...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. How Buddhism for Beginners Came About by BHIKSHUNI THUBTEN CHODRON I had been in Singapore just a few days when a young man appeared at my door. Can I ask you some questions about Buddhism? he queried. We sat down and began to talk. Some of his questions were...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin translated by Matthieu Ricard foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama 712 pp., ISBN 1-55939-154-5 $27.95 #LISH The Life of Shabkar has long been recognized by Tibetans as one of the masterworks of their religious heritage. Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol devoted himself to many...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sera Jey Monastery by DEVON COTTRELL HOLMES and ANDREW HOLMES Photographs by SARA SHAPIRO Part II: Photos of Daily Life Monks leaving the Main Assembly Hall. In 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama took asylum in India and was followed by 100,000 Tibetan refugees. After years in...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by VEN. TENZIN KACHO Assisted by: Sister Jitindriya, Rev. Kusala, Rev. Meido, Ajahn Pasanno, Ven. Heng Sure and Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo Reverend Master Eko Little and the monks at Shasta Abbey hosted the 6th conference of Western Buddhist monastics for the third consecutive time. It took place from...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Summer 2001 Experienced practitioners of Buddhism may be especially interested to deepen their practice and knowledge of the dharma at Nitartha Institute this summer. Nitartha Institute, under the direction of the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, is an annual summer program modeled on a Tibetan shedra (Buddhist college). The fundamental goal...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Contributions to the Study of Buddhism and Tibet In Honor of Jeffrey Hopkins edited by Guy Newland 352 pages, 6×9,1-55939-160-X, #CHMIND, cloth June This is a book offered in tribute to Jeffrey Hopkins by colleagues and former students. Jeffrey Hopkins has, in his sixty years, made profound and diverse...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, Master of Tibetan Medicine One of the most eminent masters of Tibetan Medicine, Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, recently passed away. Born in Shigatse (Tibet) in 1924, he began his study of Tibetan Medicine at the age of 17 under the guidance of Dr. Shekar Tsultrim Tenzin. In...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. New-look Mandala magazine hits the newsstands BY NANCY PATTON Imagine being asked to exchange the semi-tropical paradise of a seaside home, a network of loving family and friends and an absorbing job in the Australian magazine world for a tiny adobe house in Taos, New Mexico (7000 feet above...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection by His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Thupten Jinpa and Richard Barron foreword by Sogyal Rinpoche edited by Patrick Gaffney 272 pages, 8 pages of photos, 6×9 1-55939-157-X, $24.95 cloth Available Now This book offers an unprecedented glimpse into one of...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by B. Alan Wallace ISBN: 9781559392006 …an extraordinary book. Howard Cutler, co-author of The Art of Happiness All of us have attitudes. Some of them accord with reality and serve us well throughout the course of our lives....

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Main Practices of the Mahayana Buddhist Path by Kensur Lekden translated by Jeffrey Hopkins ISBN: 9781559391580 This books presents with the intimate freshness of a personal teaching, the main practices of the Mahayana Buddhist path. It details the attitudes cultivated in meditation ranging from turning away from...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Autobiography of Namgyal Lhamo Taklha by Namgyal Lhamo Taklha ISBN: 9781559391023 Namgyal Lhamo Taklha recounts her remarkable life in Born in Lhasa. It is an engaging history of the Tibetan diaspora dramatic and filled with anecdotes. Taklha’s autobiography differs from those of other prominent Tibetans because she...

The following article is from the Spring, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A New Branch of Gyuto Tantric University From Introduction to Buddhism to Very Advanced Teachings on Tantric Practice On April 8, 2001, Gyuto Tantric University opened a branch monastery in San Jose, California. The new center is staffed by five resident monks recently arrived from India,...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY VICTORIA HUCKENPAHLER Khenpo Konchog Gyaltshen, teacher and author, whose glowing smile and down-to-earth presence have endeared him to students worldwide, was elevated earlier this year to the status of Khenchen (Great Scholar) by HH Chetsang Rinpoche, head of the Drikung Kagyu. He is the only member of that...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In Upstate New York Students of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin throughout North America are rejoicing in the establishment of a new temple in Upstate New York as a seat for His Holiness the Sakya Trizin in the United States. The new temple, Tsechen Kunchab Ling, is located in...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Discussions with Western Buddhists by the Dalai Lama ed. by Jose Ignacio Cabezon 102 pp., September. #AN $12.95 In India, at the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment, it became a well-established tradition for the Dalai Lama to spend several days each year giving teachings to Buddhists from all...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Thubten Chodron 128 pp., October. #WOAN $12.95 Anger plagues all of us on a personal, national, and international level. Yet, we see people, such as the Dalai Lama, who have faced circumstances far worse than many of us have facedincluding exile, persecution, and the loss of many loved...

The following article is from the Summer, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Delaware County, NY; Tuesday July 24th, 2001 Ceremonies will be held July 24th at Padma Samye Ling Retreat Center in Delaware County, New York, opening the main shrine room of the new temple. This day marks the anniversary of the wonderful and auspicious occasion of Buddha’s first turning of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary by Arya MaitreyaCommentary by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye Additional explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche Translated by Rosemarie Fuchs 400 pp., 6 x 9 #BUNAMA $34.95 Cloth Available July This text is one of The Five Teachings of Maitreya, the future Buddha, who...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Mind and Life Conference 2000 BY VEN. THUBTEN CHODRON Beginning in the mid-1980s, the Mind and Life Institute has brought together scientists from various fields of expertise with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a series of conferences. A theme is picked for each, and five to seven...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Nobel Peace Laureates Discuss Human Rights, Conflict and Reconciliation ed. by Jeffrey Hopkins184 page, cloth, Aug. #ARPE $22.95 This is education at its best and highest…inspiring and uplifting.JULIAN BOND The road to world peace will be long and difficult, but Hopkins helps lead the way with this landmark book.Kirkus...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Biography ofDasang Damdul Tsarong, Commander General of Tibet by D.N. Tsarong 164 pp., 50 b&w photos, Oct., #SEHICO $14.95 This is the fascinating life story of the Tibetan aristocrat, politician, and general Dasang Damdrul Tsarong, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Tibetan Army and Cabinet Minister. Tsarong was...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Tsultrim Allione. 340 pp., new edition, Sept., #WOWI $16.95 This new edition includes Tsui- trim’s expanded autobiography covering the last 15 years since the first edition appeared. One best books to bring out the riches of the feminine in Buddhism. Filled with inspired stories, Women of Wisdom is...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Geshe Sonam Rinchen Translated and edited by Ruth Sonam Bodhisattvas, the great beings of Mahayana Buddhism, are those people who vow to gain enlightenment in order to bring about unchanging happiness for all living beings. Many Tibetan Buddhists take these vows as part of the process of initiation. ...

The following article is from the Summer, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY GESHE LHUNDRUP SOPA (Reprinted from July Special Edition of Mandala) The dhonka as much historical significance. It was created in the time of Tsong Khapa, in the 14th century; before then, monks dressed in the Indian Hinayana style, with nothing much on the upper part of the body....

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BUDDHA NATURE Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso comments on Maitreya’s Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra BY VICTORIA HUCKENPAHLER Who better to comment on the Buddha Nature than one who inhabits the realm of non-duality? Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, a respected Kagyu scholar-yogi, is one such being whose sublime vision breathed life into the teachings...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso the XIV Dalai Lama, will teach the Heart of Wisdom Sutra in San Jose, California for four hours each day May 17, 18 and 19, 2001. He will give a public talk, Peace Through Inner Peace, on the evening of May 19 and a Medicine...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. [Edited from an article by Giovanni Fazio in Japan Times, printed on October 31, 2000] One of the hottest tickets to be had at the Tokyo International Film Festival was for director Eric Valli’s Caravan, a stunningly shot tale of perilous mountain journeys set in the remotest regions of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. AN INTERVIEW WITH ALAN WALLACE by Brian Hodel Part I: A Critical Evaluation BRIAN HODEL: What adaptations have Tibetan teachers of Buddhism made to accommodate a growing Western Buddhist community made up primarily of laypersonspeople with jobs, families, Western routines? ALAN WALLACE: In Asia, India, Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. he Lamrim Chenmo: Volume One by Tsong-kha-pa; translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee, Joshua W.C. Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, Guy Newland, Editor. 434 pages, 1-55939-152-9, $29.95 cloth …one of the greatest religious or secular works in the library of our human heritage.PROF. ROBERT A.F. THURMAN The Great Treatise on the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Commentary on the Bhikshuni Pratimoksha by Venerable Bhikshuni Wu Yin trans, by Bhikshuni Jendy Shih ed. by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron 330 pp. #CHSI $15.95 Choosing Simplicity discusses the precepts and lifestyle of fully ordained nuns within the Buddhist tradition. The ordination vows act as guidelines to promote harmony both...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BY BHIKSHUNI THUBTEN CHODRON Behind each page of a book lies a story. This story is not necessarily expressed in the content of the book; rather, it is the story of the lives of the people involved in writing and producing it. In the case of Choosing Simplicity, the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. trans. & comm. by John Myrdhin Reynolds fore, by Namkhai Norbii 171 pp., 4 line drawings, glossary, biblio., index. #SELI $14.95 A text belonging to the same cycle as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, this instruction on the method of self-liberation presents the essence of Dzogchen, the Great...

The following article is from the Autumn, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Escape to Exile Losang Thonden was born in 1942 in Lhasa, central Tibet, to a well- to-do family of traders. He lived in Lhasa until the Chinese occupation in 1959, spending the latter part of his youth with his uncle, the esteemed lama Dakgyab Rinpoche. Shortly after arriving in...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by ALEJANDRO CHAOUL-REICH Introduction Tibetan Yogas There is a growing interest in Tibetan physical yogas in the West Yoga Journal has published two articles on Tibetan yoga in the last year alone; one on the types of Tibetan yogas that have come to the United States, and another on...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Shangrila, by dictionary definition an imaginary and remote paradise, was the subject of a major TV documentary produced by BBC’s Natural History unit that filmed the legendary Mount Kailash in Tibet. That video showed real historic places associated with the Zhang Zhung culture, says Lama Shenpen Samdup, a monk...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Minneapolis, MN May 8-9 May 8: TeachingGenerating a Good Heart Public AddressCompassion and Universal Responsibility in a New Century May 9: Developing Peaceful Solutions to International Conflicts 5:00-6:30 pm, Interfaith Dialogue Contact: 612-625-8878 www.DalaiLamaMinnesotaorg Salt Lake City, UT May 12 Six Perfections (Six Paramitas) Contact: www.utahtibet.org Portland, OR May...

The following article is from the Winter, 2001 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by ROBIN GARTHWAIT The sun sets, the moon begins its arc across the sky and a young boy spends another day in no man’s land. Isolated from his people, his teachers, his birthright, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama is still trapped in apolitical game of cat and...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Bhikshuni Thublen Chodron We are used to Tibetan monks teaching the Dharma to Westerners in the USA, Europe, and Australia. But imagine a Western nun teaching the Dharma in English to Tibetans in India! I was by chance (by karma?) involved in just such an experience when I...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by B. Alan Wallace, University of California, Santa Barbara Buddhism is commonly distinguished on doctrinal grounds from monotheistic and polytheistic religions by the fact that it refutes the existence of a divine Creator, and indeed there is ample textual evidence in early Buddhist, Mahayana, and Vajrayana treatises to support...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The first Kalachakra of the new millennium will be led by H.H. the Dalai Lama in Austria. Contact: Kalachakra Committee Graz, C/o She Drup Ling, Buddhist Center, Griesgasse 2, A-8020 Graz, Austria, www.kalachakra-graz.at ä_æ

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Michael Doran, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra We always believed that First Light 2000 would be an inspiration to ail the world, and it was. What we could not have known was that His Holiness Karmapa would choose that time of practice and prayers to flee Tibet. His Holiness is...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu compiled and ed. by John Shane176 pp., 23 line drawings, 30 b&w photos #CRWALI, $16.95 In The Crystal and the Way of Light, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu examines the spiritual path from the viewpoint of Dzogchen. He discusses the base, path and fruit of Dzogchen practice,...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sera Monastery is one of the three largest Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries of the Gelug order in the world. Sera Monastery was founded in 1419 A.D. by the great Lama Jamchen Choeje Shakya Yeshe, one of the principal disciples of Lama Tsong Khapa. Within Sera Monastery there are two colleges,...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Devon Cottrell Holmes Entrance Gate to Sera Jey Main Assembly Hall Introduction While living in California, my husband and I met the Venerable Lama Geshe Lobsang Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. He had been born in Kham, Tibet and entered the local monastery at age 8. Seven years...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Lama Lodu Rinpoche [Interview conducted by students of Lama Lodu Rinpoche] Question: We’ve heard, in the media that there is a special relationship between Kalu Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama. Can you tell us about that relationship? Lama Lodu Rinpoche: I have heard that Kalu Rinpoche had an early...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Bhikshuni Thublen Chodron For the last several years, young Israeli travelers have flooded to India, so much so that one can find Israeli food at most restaurants in Dharamsala. What draws them to India? All young Israelismen and womenmust go into the army, and most find the experience...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This summer Buddhists of all traditions will have the rare opportunity to receive teachings, blessings, and empowerments from one of the world’s preeminent leaders and masters of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness Sakya Trizin. His Holiness is the head of the Sakya Order, the second oldest of the four main...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bön Tradition of Tibet by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama This book will be of great help to readers wishing to find a clear explanation of the Bön tradition, especially with regard to its presentation of the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Emptiness and Essence in the Geluk World by William Magee 244 pp., 6 x 9, #NATH $22.95 Available Now! Œæ The discussion of nature pursued in this book begins with Nagarjuna (first century), founder of the Middle Way School, who refuted a fabricated nature in his Treatise on the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. During 1937 the Baldan Baraivan Monastery of Mongolia was destroyed by communist forces. Once the third most important monastery in Mongolia, Baldan Baraivan was reduced to ruins. The monks and lamas practicing there were forced into military service, imprisoned in Siberian work camps or slaughtered at the site. Democracy...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Science and Lore of Tibetan Medicine by Dr. Yeshi Dhonden translated and edited by B. Alan Wallace214 pages, #HEFRSO $16.95 Available Now! Review by Glenn H. Mullin In 1642 the great Fifth Dalai Lama became spiritual and temporal head of a newly formed Tibetan nation. A few years...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen by Karma Chagme, commentaryby Gyatrul Rinpoche, translated byB. Alan Wallace, edited by LindySteele and B. Alan Wallace.344 pages, #NAAW $19.95Available Now! The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, by the 17th century adept Karma Chagme, is widely regarded as an unusually...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jamgon MiphamForeword byHis Holiness Sakya Trizin Translated and edited by Jay Goldberg168 pages, 4×6 #MO$ll Uses regular 6-sided dice or Tibetan dice which is available for $5.Available Now! From the Introduction In Tibet, the use of the Mo, or predictive technique, has been heavily relied upon throughout the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This year marks significant events in the seven-year history of Tara Mandala, the Buddhist retreat Center in Southwest Colorado founded in 1993 by Tsultrim Allione, author of Women of Wisdom (Snow Lion, summer 2000) and formerly a Tibetan Buddhist nun, ordained by the 16th Karmapa Tara Mandala sits in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. BUILDING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP by Alexander Berzin 225 pp., 6x 9 URESPTE $15.95 Available in June Alex Berzin has taken head-on one of the hottest issues of Buddhism in the Westteacher-student and gum-disciple relationshipand brought us all up to date through his wide and deep research plus a great...

The following article is from the Spring, 1950 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Longclienpa Translated by Kennard Lipman and Merrill Peterson under the inspiration of Namkhai Norbu 114 pages, #YOAREY $18,95 Available Now! You Are the Eyes of the World presents a method for discovering awareness everywhere, all the time. This book does not discuss how to turn ordinary life off,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated and edited by Ruth Soriam 200 pp. #THPRAS $14.95 Œæ The wish for freedom, the altruistic intention to be of ultimate benefit to others, and the wisdom realizing emptiness constitute the three principal aspects of the path to enlightenment, three insights that form the...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Conversations with The Dalai Lama on Brainscience and Buddhism edited by Zara Houshmand, Robert Livingston, and B. Alan Wallace translations by Geshe Thupten Jinpa and B. Alan Wallace with an afterword by B. Alan Wallace 185 pages #COCR $15.95 This book addresses some of the most fundamental and troublesome...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The International Seminar for Buddhist Studies and Practice will be held at Shechen Institute, Bodhgaya, India, from November 1-10,1999. The seminar is the second in a series of yearly courses that offer detailed and in depth teachings on the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Over the years, the...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Jamma Foundation formed in order to support the nuns of Tibet’s indigenous religion, Bon. Their first project is a convent called Khoma Neuchung Ling located on land donated in Jomosom, Nepal, through the generous help of Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche. Jamma Foundation currently seeks funds to construct the...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. translated, edited and introduced by Glenn H. Mullin 257 pp., METRMI $16.95 inspiringof immense importance to all the major Tibetan Buddhist sects.Prof. Janice D. Willis, Wesleyan University The Seventh Dalai Lama is often considered to be one of the greatest of the early Dalai Lamas. He wrote extensive commentaries...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Cultivation of the Four Immeasurables The Four Immeasurables: Practices to Open the Heart by B. Alan Wallace ed. by Zara Houshmand This book presents a unique interweaving of teachings on the Four Immeasurables and instruction on quiescence, or shamatha, meditation practices. Alan Wallace’s teachings on the Four Immeasurables are...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Dalai Lama used the occasion of his 64th birthday to announce that he will not be reincarnated in Tibet, but in a free country outside Chinese control. The purpose of reincarnation is to carry (on) work started by the previous life which remains unfulfilled, the Dalai Lama was...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche and Lama Gyatso by Lama Nubpa Clwdak Gyatso [Lama Gyatso offers the following profound teaching on the Mandala. Lama Gyatso’s Buddhist training began in Tibet at the age of four. He went on to study Buddhist and Western philosophy at the postgraduate level, and trained with...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THE TWO TRUTHS IN THE FOUR BUDDHIST TENET SYSTEMS by Guy Newland. 107 pp., notes, biblio., Œæ When someone seeks to understand Buddhism, where should that person start: With the meaning of taking refuge in the three jewels? With the four noble truths? The Dalai Lama, when asked this...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be giving the Path of Liberation Teachings as well as Thog Tha Ma, Je Tsong Khapa’s Lam Rim Prayer of Aspiration, and the Initiation of Je Tsong Khapa with Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, and Vajrapani, October 12-14 in Pasadena, California. His Holiness the Dalai Lama...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. 6th International Conference on Buddhist Women Women as Peace Makers Lumbini, Nepal February 1 to 7, 2000 Sakyadhita’s continuing mission is the empowerment of Buddhist women in their quest to transform their lives, their communities, and contribute to peace in the world. The 6th International Conference on Buddhist Women...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On Friday August 27, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche passed away at Antamnies, Dordogne, where he had been staying for several months following medical treatment in France. Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche was one of the closest disciples of Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche. He first visited France in 1980,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu & Adriano Clemente 325 pp. #SUSO $19.95 The aim of Dzogchen is the reawakening of the individual to the primordial state of enlightenment which is naturally found in all beings. The master introduces the student to his or her...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Interest in Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism is soaring. Snow Lion is also expanding to accommodate this growth. We have added several new staff members as well as additional offices. We’ve expanded our operation to include the house adjacent to the main building. This new space contains the entire editorial...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Glenn H. Mullin 170 pp., #GEWISE, $15.95 The Seventh Dalai Lama (17081757) stands as one of the most beloved Buddhist masters in Tibet’s long and illustrious history. One of his most popular works is Gems of Wisdom, a collection of spontaneous short verses that employ earthy metaphors to...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Marta Macbeth Even the Secret Service agents were impressed with the weather. Every day before The Dalai Lama arrived at the Beacon Theater, the sun came out. The planned watering of Central Park became unnecessary as thunder, lightning and rain pummeled New York City in the evenings on...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Donatella Rossi Bibliography, Tibetan-English glossary, index, 250 pp. Donatella Rossi has a Ph.D. in History of Religions and Tibetology from the University of Oslo, Norway. She has also worked as the Asian Program Officer of The Mountain Institute, a non-governmental organization based in Franklin, West Virginia, which implements...

The following article is from the Winter, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A LIFE OF COURAGE, COMPASSION & WISDOM by James Manganiello His Holiness Men-ri Trizen Lungtok Tenpai Nyima is the leader of the indigenous Tibetan spiritual and cultural Tradition known as Yungdnmg Bon. Now in his early seventies, Rinpoche is a vital and passionate man who embodies the fruit of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. from Tricycle: the Buddhist Review by John Pettit What do you get when you cross Abhidharma (Buddhist psychology) with Lojong (a Tibetan Buddhist tradition of spiritual transformation), many it to the contemporary Western tradition of self-help, and dress up the hybrid offspring as a workshop manual? You get Developing...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Shyalpa Rinpoche From an interview with The Venerable Shyalpa Rinpoche by Ed Treitler of New Visions, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, spring 1998. The Venerable Shyalpa Rinpoche is a Tibetan Lama and teacher in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche studied and practiced under...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Portrait of a Culture in Exile Photographic Exhibit to Open in St. Louis Beginning February 15, The Cecille R. Hunt Gallery at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri will host a collection of 45 color photographs taken over the last ten years during Ms. Wright’s travels to all the Tibetan...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Interviews with the Four Tibetan Employees at Snow Lion by Julie Tollen In the last issue of this newsletter, we printed interviews with Palden Choedak Oshoe and Dhondup Dorjee Zurkhang, two of the four Tibetan employees at Snow Lion Publications. Presented here are interviews with the other two: Karma...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Nuns of Khachoe Ghakyil 1999 North American tour by Julia Milton Beginning in April 1999, ten Tibetan Buddhist nuns from a nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal, will take part in a series of public performances of sacred art, dance and music in Oakland, California. The ten nuns, who are...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ann Shaftel Conservation of thangkas has been my major work since 1971. My approach to the conservation of thangkas is based on a combination of current scientific knowledge combined with traditional respect and training. I was trained as a thangka painter as well as an Art Conservator. My...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Asian Classics Input Project is pleased to announce the release of A Thousand Books of Wisdom., an unprecedented collection of over 50,000 pages of sacred woodblock art and manuscripts, including hundreds of never-before-released images from the Buddhist hermitages of Mongolia and Siberia. These images include special seals that...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On Lamdre Lobshey, Uncommon Lamdre, to be bestowed in Vancouver,; B. C. Canada in 2000 HIS HOLINESS SAKYA TRIZIN Linda Tokarchuk: Your Holiness, can you describe what the Lamdre teaching is? His Holiness Sakya Trizin: Lamdre is actually the most important teaching in the Sakyapa Order. Lam means the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Russell Ellis When I was arrested and sentenced on what I thought was going to be a minor drug conviction, I was shocked. Three years seemed like forever to me at that time (1975). I was 32 and wanted no part of prison. I felt like I was...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Public Talk in Central Park; Teachings at the Beacon Theater His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits New York City August 12-15. Events will include a public talk in Central Park and three days of teachings at the Beacon Theater. This visit is sponsored by the Tibet Center and Gere...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Collaborative Project of the University of Massachusetts and the Springfield Museums Kathmandu is an artistic interpretation of a Nepali-Tibetan Temple that will be shown as progressive exhibits in Hampden Gallery on the University of Massachusetts campus before touring a variety of museums, galleries and community centers. After showing...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. We have received many requests for continued information about the astrological dates to avoid when first hanging banners or prayer flags. When you put these up to bring success on the wrong astrological dates, you will continuously receive obstacles. For as long as the banners or prayer flags last,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. FIFTH WESTERN BUDDHIST MONASTIC CONFERENCE by Bhikshuni Tenzin Kacho The fifth conference for Western Buddhist monastics will be held June 4-6,1999, at Shasta Abbey in northern California. These conferences provide space and voice to the special needs and concerns of Western monastics in adapting and integrating our lifestyle in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This summer’s program will be led by two wonderful teachers: His Holiness Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima, the Abbot of Menri Monastery and the most senior lineage holder of Bon, and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, the founder of the Ligmincha Institute and the author of Wonders of the Natural Mind and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Veronica Miller As part of His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche’s efforts to preserve the spiritual and cultural tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Nubpa Chodak Gyatso (Lama Gyatso), resident lama of Chagdud Gonpa T’hondup Ling in Los Angeles, has commissioned a rare three-dimensional mandala of the Peaceful and Wrathful...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. REALIZING EMPTINESSMadhyamaka Insight Meditation by Gen Lamrimpa translated by B. Alan Wallace 184 pp. #REEM $14.95 Œæ The Tibetan contemplative Gen Lamrimpa trained in Buddhist philosophy and meditation under some of the greatest masters of the twentieth century. After spending twenty years in solitary retreat, he was requested by...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is currently the responsibility of the ancient Tibetan monastery, Dzongkar Choede, to preserve sacred Tibetan ritual objects. After the Chinese military invaded and occupied Tibet, 18 senior Dzongkar Choede monks escaped into India, bringing with them many sacred objects. The monks then rebuilt a small monastery in southern...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche trans. by Dr. Robert Clark ed. by Ani Trirdey Chodron 120 pp. #PRMA $12.95 Œæ Mahamudra represents the highest level of teaching within Tibetan Buddhism. Its study and practice leads to the realization of the very nature of reality itselfthere is not a single...

The following article is from the Summer, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dudjom Buddhist Association Internationa] Limited has a newly published English-Chinese bilingual Buddhistjournal named PemaOsel. This journal is distributed free of charge to people all over the world. Just send a letter and receive a copy free of charge at the following address: Dudjom Buddhist Association, P.O. Box 44346, Shau...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Tiah Foster, M.D. When a man called me at work and asked, Do the words Mani Rimdu mean anything to you? my immediate answer was, Do you mean I won? I was thrilled and thought it a dream come true. I had just won an all expenses-paid trip...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Lama cymbalist at Thengboche Monastery during the second day of the Mani Rimdu Festival. by June Calender We’ve signed up another woman who’s never slept in a tent either, said Youden, the cheerful Nepali woman at Snow Lion Expeditions. That tipped the balance of my internal debate about signing...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. PORTRAIT OF A CULTURE IN EXILE Photographs and text by Alison Wright Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama. 200 pages, 180 color photos, 9.5 high x 10 wide $34.95 Snow Lion Publications The stunning color photographs in this book display the spirit of the Tibetan people living in exile...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche talks about his new book A Tibetan Bon lama, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche was born in Amritsar, India, after his parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He received training from both Buddhist and Bon masters, attaining the degree of geshe, the highest academic degree of Tibet....

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THE PRACTICE OF TRANQUILLITY & INSIGHT A Guide to TibetanBuddhist Meditation by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche 170 pp., b&w photo, 3 line drawings, 3 tables #PRTRIN $14.95 This is a practical manual to the two types of meditation that form the core of Buddhist spiritual practice. After only a few...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Shechen Institute for Traditional Tibetan Arts is a three-storied building located on the grounds of Shechen Monastery in Baudha, Nepal. It is dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan sacred arts and includes the Tsering Art School, an archive facility, workshops for the manufacture of incense, and studios for...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama performing the opening ceremonies for the Shechen Institute, Bodhgaya, India Bodhgayathe diamond throne of Indiais the center of the Buddhist world. There, under the Bodhi Tree, the renunciate Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha Shakyamuni. It is said that a thousand Buddhas have attained and...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. Dalai Lama Opens Groundbreaking Tibetan Medical Conference by Victoria Huckenpahler The First International Conference on Tibetan Medicine, held in the nation’s capital from 7-9 November and inaugurated by H.H. the Dalai Lama, brought together notable physicians, scholars, and translators from twenty-two nations seeking an integrative approach to healing....

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A long cherished wish of Venerable Lama Jampa Rabjam Rinpoche’s is about to be fulfilled. 2,600 acres of the over 5,000 acre Graham property, which is adjacent to the monastery lands, is in the process of being acquired by The Nature Conservancy of Canada, a conservation charity, to be...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by David Ross Komito commentary on Nagarjuna’s text by Geshe Sonam Rinchen translation by Tenzin Dorjee < David Ross Komito 226 pp., notes, bibliography, indexISBN 0-937938-39-4 #NASEST $16.95 For almost two thousand years Nagarjuna’s teachings have occupied a central position in Mahayana Buddhism. An essential part of the study...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. According to the Preliminary Practice of Longchen Nyingtik by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche translated by Gelong Konchog Tenzin (Matthieu Ricard) 95 pp., ISBN 1-55939-121-9 #GUYO $10.95 Why is the practice guru yoga, (union with the nature of the guru) so important? Because, with the help of the outer teacher, the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Nitartha Institute is an intensive study program within the Kagyu tradition. founded by the Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, Rinpoche and the Dzogchen Ponlop, Rinpoche. Each year, Ponlop Rinpoche is resident teacher for the duration of the program, along with other Acharyas trained in the nine-year Rumtek shedra...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In August of 1999, His Holiness will confer the Kalachakra Initiation for the fourth time in the USA. This empowerment is one of the most highly revered of all Buddhist rituals because it is dedicated to the creation of world peace and harmony. The entire initiation takes eight days...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. ALEX BERZIN HAS DONE A GREAT SERVICE TO EVERYONE INTERESTED IN THE KALACHAKRA INITIATION. By explaining clearly the Kalachakra path of spiritual developmentthe book will help people to make a realistic decision about whether to take the empowerment as a full participant or merely as an observer. I am...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. [Excerpts from an article about the movie by David Maurer, published in The Daily Progress of Charlottesville, VA.] Film maker Paul Wagner knows all too well, when it comes to making independent movies, a little celestial intervention can go a long way. The Oscar-winning director’s most recent film, Windhorse,...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Empowerment & Teachings On Death, Dying, and the Intermediate States Terton Orgyen Kusum Lingpa was born in Eastern Tibet. He is a pre-eminent Dzogchen meditation master renowned for his ability to perform the transference of consciousness at the time of death, or P’howa. He is recognized as one of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Gem Ornament of Manifold Oral Instructions by His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche205 pp., ISBN 1-55939-117-0 #FOTIBU $16.95 Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism contains the fundamental practices of Tibetan Buddhism. After an explanation of the major paths that Buddhists follow, Kalu Rinpoche details the correct manner in which to practice the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Like the turquoise dragon thundering over the Drowo Lung in the South You translated into Tibetan teachings of the Hearing Lineage The translator, Marpa Lolsawa remembering again and again I pray with single-minded yearning Please bless me, may I become like you! the Drikung supplication prayer, Song of Rainfall,...

The following article is from the Winter, 1999 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. May 7-12 The Great Accomplishment Ceremony (Dnibchen) and Teachings of the 1000-Arm Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) will be given by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, CA. His Holiness will also give the blessings for a new Drikung Kagyu Monastery in Escondido, California,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. And the Legacy of Chimphu Azom Rinpoche, behind him is staff he as placed in rock. by Anne Klein In eighth-century Tibet, Buddhism was dawning in the fertile Yarlung Valley, home to Tibet’s earliest kings. Teachings whose time was not yet ripe, tradition tells us, were being hidden by...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive (LYWA) is the collected works of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. The Archive was founded in 1996 by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, its spiritual director, to make available in various ways the teachings it contains. Distribution of free booklets of edited teachings...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Venerable Khenchen Thrangu, Rinpoche, translated by Ken McLeod. 120 pp. #MOMA $12.95 August Moonbeams of Mahamudra presents a direct meditation on the mind that has led thousands of practitioners to complete enlightenment, in one lifetime. It begins with a detailed explanation of shamatha and vipashyana meditation and then...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Revealing the Art of the Medicine Buddha November 7-9, 1998; Washington, D.C., USA A three-day international congress, to initiate a dialogue between traditional Tibetan Medicine and Western Science, will be convened in Washington, DC on November 7-9, 1998. This will be the first world congress dedicated specifically to Tibetan...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Workbook of Practical Buddhist Exercises for Daily Life by Alexander Berzin. 275 pp. #DE BASE $14.95 June Developing Balanced Sensitivity presents a series of practical techniques for overcoming both insensitivity and hypersensitivity that can be practiced by people from all backgrounds. Deriving these techniques from traditional Buddhist sources,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Bhikshuni Jampa Chokyi Among the western nuns who came to Bodh Gaya in February, 1998 for the full ordination ceremony organized by Fo Kwan Shan Chinese Monastery, there were eleven nuns from Samye Ling Buddhist Centre in Scotland, accompanied by their teacher Lama Yeshe Losal, who had been...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ven. Thubten Chodron The International Full Ordination Program in Bodhgaya, India, February 14-23, 1998, was organized by Master Hsing Yun and Fo Kuang Shan Temple in Taiwan. It drew 146 participants (132 of them women) and was remarkable in many ways. It was one of the first major...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Tibetan Buddhist Monastery at the Crossroads of Four Civilizations by Paul Kocat Nietupski photos from the Griebmow Archives, 1921-1949 160 pp. 9 x 8 high, 20 color and 100 b&w photos, illustrations, #LA $24.95 June Labrang stands out from the growing number of picture books on Tibet. Focusing...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodu Thaye, translation and commentary by Ron Garry, foreword by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, introduction by Gyatrul Rinpoche. 263 pp. In the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet, it is an abiding principle that the root of all good qualities is devotion to a fully qualified spiritual friend (a...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Wish-fulfilling Gem of the Noble Teachings by Dharma Lord Gampopa, translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, fore, by the Dalai Lama, edited by Ani K. Trinlay Cliodron. 520 pp., glossary, study guide, bibliography, notes, 6 x 9 #JEORLI $19.95 The Jewel Ornament of Liberation is a master work...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Lobsang Gyalso, translated and edited by Vim. Dr. Garelh Sparham, 380 pp., #METILA $16.95 May In 1995 Gareth Sparham suggested to Lobsang Gyatso, his long-time teacher and friend, that he record his life story. Lobsang Gyatso’s life in Kham and central Tibet as he tells it is the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In August of 1999, His Holiness will confer the Kalachakra Initiation for the fourth time in the USA. This empowerment is one of the most highly revered of all Buddhist rituals because it is dedicated to the creation of world peace and harmony. The entire initiation takes eight days...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Corneille Jest 190 pp., line drawings, 2 maps #TATU $12.95 July In this journal narrative of a pilgrimage in Dolpo, an isolated Himalayan valley in northwest Nepal inhabited by people of Tibetan stock, Corneille Jest weaves together his own gentle observations of daily life and the lively tales...

The following article is from the Spring, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Lama Thubten Yeshe Edited by Dr. Nicholas Ribush When we study Buddhism, we are studying ourselves, the nature of our own minds. Instead of focusing on some supreme being, Buddhism emphasizes more practical matters, such as how to lead our lives, how to integrate our minds and how...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama in New York teaches In the Spirit of Manjushri by Victoria Huckenpahler In a historic event co-sponsored by Tibet House and the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association, H.H. the Dalai Lama offered a three-day teaching (May 1-3) before a predominantly Chinese audience on the Tradition...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a one-day teaching on Eight Verses for Training the Mind and confer the Generation of Bodhichitta Mind in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, November 8th. This teaching is based on the profound insights and wisdom of one of Tibet’s greatest spiritual classics. The...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Harvey B. Aronsen and Anne C. Klein In the finest tradition of non-sectarian Dharma transmission, Namgyal Monastery will be hosting a retreat this summer at the beautiful Owasco Conference Center, August 23-30. This promises to be an exciting and enlightening visit by one of the most active Lamas...

The following article is from the Summer, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In August of 1999, His Holiness will confer the Kalachakra Initiation for the fourth time in the USA. This empowerment is one of the most highly revered of all Buddhist rituals because it is dedicated to the creation of world peace and harmony. The entire initiation takes eight days...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Rochester, New York July 22-24, 1997 Something remarkable is happening in Rochester, New York. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, will come to Rochester from India to give the Kalachakra Teachings and Empowerment. Penor Rinpoche has been invited by Ven. Ayang Rinpoche,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Excitement is building at Shechen Teimyi Dargeyling Monastery in Nepal as preparations are underway for the event that will herald the return of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to his monastery. The enthronement ceremony of Ugyen Tendzin Jigme Lhundrup, the Yangsi (reincarnation) of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, will take place in Baudhanath,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This exhibition will open at the Asia Society Galleries on September 22, 1997, and will run until January 4, 1998. It is co-organized by Tibet House, NY and the Asia Society. This in-depth exhibit focuses exclusively on mandalas, and will include 50 diverse pieces from Tibet, Nepal, China, Japan,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Angyur, Anam Thubten, Lama Tharchin, Orgyen Chowang, Lama Tsering Gyaltsen Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, a Dzogchen master of Vajrayana Buddhism, is the tenth lineage holder of the Repkong Ngakpasthe largest non-monastic communtiy of practitioners in Tibet. His inspiring teachings of Buddhist philosophy and meditation are complemented by his artistry and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Geshe Sonam Rinehen translated and edited by Ruth Sonam 217 pp., includes Tibetan text, Photo by Peter Aronson Atisha, the eleventh-century Indian Buddhist scholar and saint, came to Tibet at the invitation of the king of Western Tibet, Lha Lama Yeshe Wí_, and his nephew Jangchub Wo. His...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tara Gompa, the monastic residence of Dharma Institute (founded by Ven. Bhikshuni Tenzin Yeshe) has been located near Charlottesville, VA since 1992. In May 1997, Tenzin Yeshe made arrangements to relocate Tara Gompa to land in New Mexico, and to build a monastic residence large enough for a Bhikshuni...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. LAMA KUNGA RINPOCHE at Ewam Choden Meditation Center by Pamela Cantrell Q: Rinpoche, would you please tell the readers a little about Ewam Choden? A: This is a Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center. Tibetan monasteries are strictly for Buddhist monks. Ewam Choden is not a monastery, it is a Buddhist...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. READINGS ON THE SIX YOGAS OF NAROPA translated, edited and introduced by Glenn H. Mullin, 200 ppr #RESIYO $16.95 Available Now. The Tibetan tradition known as the Six Yogas of Naropa is one of the most popular tantric systems with all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Structured and arranged by...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Blake Kerr photos by John Ackeriy foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama 212 pp. #SKBU $12.95 September Sky Burial is the distilled truthalternately tragic, hilarious and rousingof two young Americans’ exposure to the joyous spirit of the Tibetan people and their courageous struggle to survive under the brutal...

The following article is from the Summer, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jonathan Landaw & Andy Weber Images of Enlightenment answers the need for a clear and straightforward guide to the inner world of Tibetan Buddhist sacred art. Focusing on many of its most important and representative figures, this richly illustrated book introduces the tradition of spiritual self-transformation embodied in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Yangsi Rinpoche’s arrival in Procession (Photo: Vivian Kurtz) On December 5, 1997, the Enthronement of Ugyen Tendzin Jigme Lhundrup, the Reincarnation or Yangsi of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was celebrated at Shechen Monastery in Baudha, Nepal. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991) was one of the most remarkable Buddhist teachers of this...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Daniel Cozort, Ph.D 632pp., Tibetan text, glossaries, bibliography, index, 6 x 9 #UNTEMI $29.95 paper, #UNTEC $45 cloth, February According to Tibetan traditions, the Indian Buddhist Prasangika-Madhyamika school is the one that represents the final, literally true thought of the Buddha. Unique Tenets of the Middle Way Consequence...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sky Burial: An Eyeiuitness Account of China’s Brutal Crackdown in Tibet, by Blake Kerr 189 pp., black & white photos, $12.95 Reviewed by Whitney Stewart in The Austral Asian, Oct. 24th-Nov. 7th issue, 1997 In the business of saving oppressed people, advocates come from many corners; they are inspired...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Geshe Sonam Ri nchen translated and edited by Ruth Sonam 185pp., 5 + x 8 + #SIPE $14.95 Available in Mar. The Six Perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, enthusiastic effort, concentration, and wisdom are practised by Bodhisattvas who have the supreme intention of attaining enlightenment for the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Abhidharma and Brain Science by Christopher de Charms 250 pp. #TWVIMI $14.95 This book presents a clear and readily understandable overview of perception, thought, and awareness in Tibetan Buddhist psychology and in Western neuroscience. In this ground-breaking work, Christopher deCharms lays out the Buddhist theory of perception side-by-side with...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Knowledge of Healing gives a comprehensive explanation, in easy-to-understand terms, of the main principles of this ancient and highly sophisticated healing system. Rooted in Buddhist principles, Tibetan medicine sees illness as caused by an out-of-balance lifestyle and prescribes cures requiring whole life changes in addition to specific treatments....

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In 1985, in a remote Siberian province of the former USSR, a set of 76 Tibetan paintings was discovered in a neglected box. The paintings constitute an extraordinary illustrated medical treatise known as The Blue Beryl, commonly referred to as the Tibetan Medical Atlas, which documents in detail the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Andrew Bloomfield & Yanki Tshering 175 pp., 6 x 9 #LEPRTI $16.95 Available Feb. Learning Practical Tibetan is a revised version of the Tibetan Phrasebook, which was published in 1987 by Snow Lion Publications. Many students of Tibetan language have expressed to Snow Lion that this book is...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Fourth Annual Conference of Western Buddhist Monastics by Ven. Tliubten Chodron Four years ago, some nuns from the Tibetan tradition were musing how wonderful it would be to have Western monastics from the various Buddhist traditions in the USA meet together. Thus was born a series of annual...

The following article is from the Winter, 1998 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by W.W. Roweillustrations by Chris Banigan 32 pp., 31 color illustrations, 8×11 #DOTO $12.95 cloth, for children ages 5-13, Feb. In this adventurous retelling of a classic Tibetan tale of the power of faith, a young man is asked by his dying mother to obtain a sacred relic to...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Vesna A. Wallace & B. Alan Wallace 175 pages, #GUBOSL $12.95 March In the whole of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition there is no single treatise more deeply revered or widely practiced than A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. This authoritative translation by Vesna A. Wallace and...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. t Adopting the Spirit of Awakening 1.- æI happily rejoice in the virtue of all sentient beings, which relieves the suffering of the miserable states of existence. May those who suffer dwell in happiness.48 2.- æI rejoice in sentient beings’ liberation from the suffering of the cycle of existence,...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. CULTIVATING THE COMPASSIONATE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT by Ven. Lobsang Gyatso, trans, by Sherab Gyatso 146 pp. #BOCUCO $12.95 February In this practical handbook, Ven. Lobsang Gyatso describes the classical methods for developing the mind of enlightenment and, based on his experience as a meditator and a teacher, examines a...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. t Gangchen Kyishong Dharamsala, India IN echung Dorje Drayang Ling Monastery has an important place in Tibetan history as the seat of Nechung, the State Oracle of Tibet. The original Nechung Monastery in Tibet lies just below Drepung Monastery, four miles west of Lhasa, the nation’s capital. During the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. (Condensed from What China Hoped Disney would Bury in the Moroccan Sand, by Jean Nathan, The New York Times, December 22,1996.) Ms. Mathison, a screenwriter best known for E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, first heard of the Dalai Lama when she was a student at the University of Caiifomia at Berkeley....

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An Interview with LAMA LODU RINPOCHE On April 18,1996 the gates closed for a Tibetan Buddhist three-year, three-month, three-day retreat in Mendocino County, California. This retreat sponsored by Kagyu Droden Kunchab is being led by Venerable Lama Lodu Rinpoche. The following interview took place in August, 1996. The interviewer...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective by the Dalai Lama trans, by Thupten Jinpa 155 pp. #HEAN $12.95 March Œæ In this timely discussion, The Dalai Lama shows the power that patience and tolerance have to heal anger and hatred. As His Holiness points out, this is...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by H. H. the Dalai Lama and Alexander Berzin 325 pp. #GEKATR 18.95 March In this book, the Dalai Lama gives brilliant commentaries on the mahamudra root text and auto-commentary by the First Panchen Lama. This treasury of practical instructions contains extensive teachings on the nature of mind, the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. t t by Geshe Sonarn Rinchen trans. & ed. by Ruth Sonarn 112 pp. #THSEPR $12.95 February Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo wrote The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas in the fourteenth century. His succinct and simple verses of advice summarize the quintessence of the Mahayana path to perfection. Geshe Sonarn Rinchen’s...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. t One of Namgyal Monastery’s precious monks, Ven. Pema Losang Chogyen passed away on November 27,1996 at New York Hospital in New York City. The Director of Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ven. Pema-la was a tremendous source of inspiration to all who knew him. A brilliant scholar...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Chí_kyi Nyima Rinpoche Chí_kyi Nyima Rinpoche was born near Lhasa in central Tibet in 1951. When 18 months old, he was recognized by His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa as the seventh incarnation of the great yogi Gar Drubchen, an emanation of Nagarjuna. Rinpoche left Tibet before the 1959 communist...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. with the ancient Tibetan philosophy of medicine A new line of Herbal Teas from a Tibetan Doctor by Dr. Kalsang Shak, Switzerland About ten years ago, when I first started to mix my own herbal teas based on the ancient principles of Tibetan medicine, I could only make them...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. There is a another Tibet-related film in the making: The Jexv in the Lotus, inspired by Rodger Kamenetz’s book. The story, as told by filmmaker Laurel Chiten, follows Kamenetz’s unintentional spiritual journey. In 1990, eight Jewish delegates traveled to Dharamsala, India, to meet with the Dalai Lama. Conscious of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Head Lineage Master of the Bon Religion Coming to the U. S. His Holiness Lungtok Tenpa Nyima, head of the Bon religion and Abbot of Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India, will visit the United States for the first time in June. The Abbot of Menri is the most senior...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. 1996 Manx Rimdu Contest Winner’s Story by Geoff Biggs This most exciting adventure started with me entering a drawing when I ordered some books from Snow Lion. From the day I won the drawing last year until I actually flew to Kathmandu, I spent time getting in the best...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. When you put up prayer flags to bring success, if you put them up on the wrong astrological dates [paden tharivo], you will continuously receive obstacles. For as long as the prayer flags last, obstacles will continuously arise. Tliis also applies to long prayer flags and to banners. The...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Translated, edited and introduced by Glenn H. Mullin200 pp. #RESIYO$ 16.95 May This collection of readings on the six yogas contains important texts on this esoteric doctrine, including original Indian works by Tilopa and Naropa, and Tibetan writings by Tsongkhapa the Great, Gyalwa Wensapa, the First Panchen Lama and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gala Khamba demonstrating his art. An array of Zagyel rugs. Zagyel Studio in Woodstock, NY. by David McCarthy Getting to know master weaver Gala Khamba is a glimpse into the culture of Tibet and the challenges of its recent history. Now living and working near Woodstock, New York, Gala...

The following article is from the Spring, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Crowds lined his route, waving his portrait and Tibetan snow lion flags. A huge portrait of him was suspended from the ceiling of the lobby of the hotel where he stayed. The Taiwanese, including 500,000 followers of Tibetan Buddhism living on the island, had their chance to see the...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path commentary by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche translated by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso ed. by Laura Roth & David McCarthy 213 pp., #INGA $14.95 September Gampopa, the father of the Kagyu tradition in Tibet, wrote a number of commentaries on Buddha’s teachings. The most notable...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ven. Bhikshuni Tenzin Yeshe (Mary Teal Coleman) In recent years, especially due to interest of both laypeople and ordained Tibetan Buddhists in the West, there has been much talk about the Bhikshuni issue. This plirase is often used to refer to whether or not women will be able...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jeff Cox, Snow Lion Publications My dear brothers, we are already one, but we imagine that we are not. And what we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are.Thomas Merlon A remarkable meeting between Christian and Buddhist monastics was...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche will be in America to attend the anniversary ceremonies for Khyentse Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. He will also teach in New York City, Saute Fe, Kansas City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in September and October. H.H. the Dalai Lama in Kentucky and Indiana...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Gail Birnbaum, Snow Lion From July 25-27, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Bloomington, Indiana to lay the cornerstone for the Tsong Kha Sanctuary at the Tibetan Cultural Center. During his visit, he also gave a public lecture at Indiana University and a dharma teaching on Aspirational Bodliicitta...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. trans., ed. and intro. by Glenn H. Mullin 276 pp., #TSSIYO $18.95 September Anyone who has read more than a few books on Tibetan Buddhism will have encountered references to the Six Yogas of Naropa. These sixinner heat, illusory body, clear light, consciousness transference, forceful projection, and the bardo...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master trans. & ed. by John Reynolds foreword by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche 389 pp. #GOLE $18.95 Three Statements That Strike the Essential Path is an ancient Dzogchen revelation that introduces the practitioner to the nature of his or her own mind....

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The following teaching was given in response to a two-part question presented during Lama Lodu Rinpoche’s visit to Taos, New Mexico, earlier this year. Question: How does one live in the world and do spiritual practice skillfully when one has no spiritual teacher, and how does one who already...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Tenzin Palmo is a Buddhist nun, originally from England, who first visited India in 1964. She was trained in the Drukpa-Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. After becoming ordained in 1985, Tenzin Palmo engaged in a meditation retreat for twelve years in Lahoul, a valley lying between Manali and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ven. Thubten Chodron …As Buddhist nuns, you are now participating in the evolution of a Buddhism for a new time, a time when the universal principle of the equality of all human beings takes precedence. It is heartening to observe, as your conference clearly demonstrates, that Buddhist women...

The following article is from the Summer, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Secret Life and Songs of the Lady Yeshe Tsogyel by Keith Dowman illustrations by Eva van Dam 379 pp., #SKDA $18.95 Yeshe Tsogyel, consort of the great guru Padma Sambhava, was one of the most famous of the enlightened women of Tibet. Women have a special place in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An interview with Ven. Palden Gyatso, Tibet’s longest-held political prisoner by Victoria Huckenpahter His voice is low but firm, his body slender, but wiry. Four years after his escape from Tibet, nothing in Ven. Palden Gyatso’s outer appearance betrays the fact that he spent the previous 33 years in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Pittsburgh Friends of Tibet is entering into the final phase of their Katsel Medical Dispensary project. They need to raise an additional $8000 to reach their final goal of $50,000. The group is building a fully equipped medical care unit for 170 school children and the villagers of Katsel,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Power of Nonviolence A Conference with H.H. the Dalai Lama, Social Advocates and Front-line Activists The long awaited Peacemaking: the Power of Nonviolonce conference with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, social advocates and front line activists is scheduled for June 8-11, 1997 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Creation of Tashi Choling Nunnery by Mary PernalOctober 1996 Mary: Anita Tenzin Palmo, you are committed to building a center for Buddhist nuns. Could you describe this project and your motivations for undertaking it? Anila: We are planning to start a nunnery in Himachal Pradesh as a sister...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche envisioned his activity in the West to consist of producing Dharma Art, establishing a Drubta (a site for 3-year retreats), and founding a Shedra, or Buddhist College. In January 1997, the Vajrayana Foundation will begin offering the first section of Shedra teachings. The course work will...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SERJE DRATSANG Serje Monastic Institute P.O. BYLAKUPPE-571 104 Distt Mysore, Karnataka State. INDIA. August 22,1996 This is a message to all non-sectarian friends of the Dharma in the world, especially all Tibetans, inside and outside Tibet. His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the embodiment of the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sometimes, in the space of the sky, there is bliss; in the state without extremes or center, there is bliss. Sometimes, in the depth of the ocean, there is bliss; in the state without movement or agitation, there is bliss. Sometimes, at the sun and the moon, there is...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Interview with Namgyal student Scott Palmer Snow Lion’s Jesse Townsley interviewed Scott Palmer to discover what it’s like being a Westerner studying at Namgyal Monasteiy and Institute in Ithaca, NY. Jesse: How did you hear about Namgyal Monastery and Institute? How did you come to be here? Scott: I...

The following article is from the Winter, 1997 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tibet At the Movies 1997 brought the release of two major films on Tibet: Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Kundun ‘the presence of a great incarnation’ is a film based on the Dalai Lama‘s autobiography. Melissa Mathison Ford, the wife of Harrison Ford, wrote the screenplay for Kundun based...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Constructed in Poolesville, MD On November 30, 1995 an Enlightenment Stupa, built on the grounds of the Kunzang Palyul Choling monastery in Poolesville, MD to house a finger bone of the 17th-century terton Migyur Dorje, was formally consecrated. The event makes possible an opportunity for practitioners everywhere to seek...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. From May 1 to June 30, Kunzang Palyul Choling will host Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso, who will teach the second semester of KPC’s newly formed Shedra, or institute for the academic study and practice of Buddhist philosophy. Khenpo Tsewang will teach chapters 5 through 10 of Shantideva’s Guide lo the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Sakya Centers of North America are delighted to announce that H.E. Luding Khen Rinpoche will be teaching in the USA and Canada in July and August 1996. He is the head of the Ngor lineage of the Sakya school and is one of the most highly qualified teachers...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Remarkable Bonpo Master By Dr. James Manganiello Lopon Tenziri Namdak Rinpoche is one of the living fathers of the indigenous Tibetan spiritual tradition known as Bon, from which Tibetan Buddhism derives its unique character. Born in 1926 into a family of famous artists, he entered a monastery at...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Traditional Account of Tibet’s Golden Age by Sakyapa Sonam Gyaltsen, translated by McComas Taylor and Lama Choedak Yuthok 315 pp., 16 line drawings, 2 maps, #CLMI $16.95 A rich blend of history, legend, poetry, adventure and romance, The Clear Mirror is a treasuretrove of the traditional narrative and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Buddhist View of Physics and the Mind by B. Alan Wallace 227 pp. #CHRE $15.95 Alan Wallace was a Tibetan Buddhist monk for 12 years. Then he graduated summa cum laude in physics, philosophy and Sanskrit at Amherst College and went on to complete a doctorate in religious...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. With the April arrival in Ithaca, New York, of Khensur Rinpoche (Geshe Wangdak), the former Abbot of the parent monastery, a concentration on advanced studies in Tibetan Buddhism will be the focus of the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies program. At the request of His Holiness the Dalai...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche140 pp. #EXPAEN $12.95 The vow to perfect oneself in order to perfect others is called the thought of enlightenment, or bodhichitta. This implies that every single action, word, or thought, even the most trival, is dedicated to the good of all beings. To accomplish the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. TULKU URGYEN RINPOCHE(1920-1996) by Lama Sherab Dorje Oh Precious Teacher, with you has gone the best part of me but with me remains the crystalline memory of you. Standing on a February subway platform, in New York City at midnight, seeing your face everywhere, eyes open or closed, father...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Khensur Rinpoche Khensur Rinpoche was born in 1934 in Kham, eastern Tibet and, at the age of ten, entered Ba Zingon Monastery in Kham. At the monastery for eight years, he followed the basic monastic studies, including memorizing sadhanas, initiation rites and other related scriptures of Guhyasamaja and Yamantaka,...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Arunachal Pradesh and Assam are two insulated states in the northeastern region of India. Today among the numerous indigenous peoples that live there, the Mon, Sherdukpen and Tibetan refugees are the only people who practice the Tibetan form of Buddhism. The entire area is strictly out of bounds to...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings withTENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is an accomplished lama of the Bí_n tradition who currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he has established the Ligmincha Institute for the preservation of the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet. Rinpoche was recognized by Lopon (Head Teacher) Sangye...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Chí_gyal Namkhai Norbu ed. by Adriano Clemente trans. by John Shane 150pp., 5 line drawingsISBN 1-55939-057-3 $12.95 Chí_gyal Namkhai Norbu is well-known for his clear explanations of Dzogchen, and many consider Dzogchen: The Self-Perfected State to be his best book on Dzogchen meditation. The following excerpt is from...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ven. Tenzin Yeshe In the Summer edition of Snow Lion’s Newsletter, I reported some details regarding the Bhikshuni ordination in which I participated along with thirteen other female Tibetan Buddhist monastics, which was given by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh near Bordeaux, France, during the summer of 1994. Over...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In the 18th century Dip-Tse-Chok-Ling Monastery was established by Yongzin Yeshi Gyaltsen, tutor to H. H. the 8th Dalai Lama, a few kilometers south of Lhasa City. After the Chinese liberation in 1959, the monastery, along with over 6000 others, was demolished to near ruins. In 1984 the monastery...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Pico Iyer New York Times, December 3, 1995 NARA, JapanThe choosing of divine leaders is seldom left to atheists. In Tibet Buddhism, finding the highest spiritual incarnations is a matter of the highest spiritual importance, involving years-long monastic search parties, elaborate batteries of tests given to every prospective...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche 170 pp., 19 b&w photosISBN 1-55939-055-7 $14.95 Generating the Deity offers a detailed presentation of the generation stage practice of tantric deity yoga. It is an excellent resource for all tantric practitioners. The following excerpt is from Chapter 4: Actual Practice. Next is the appearance...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Kelsang Wangmo, a Tibetan woman living in Australia, was one of only nine Tibetans permitted by the Chinese to participate in the 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference. She writes of extraordinary persecution by her Chinese hosts and of wonderful support from the women delegates of many nations. What follows are...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On Thanksgiving day Trulshig Rinpoche, the closest lama to the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, announced that he had recognized the youngest son of Chokling Rinpoche to be the reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Chokling Rinpoche’s eldest son is Pamchok Rinpoche of the Talkang Kagyu lineage. Chokling Rinpoche’s eldest brother...

The following article is from the Spring, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Above left: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who passed away in 1991.Above right: Ugyen Tenzin Jigme Lhundrup, confirmed try His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. The reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who passed away in 1991, has been found in Nepal. The late Dilgo Khyentse...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dear Colleagues: On May 14, 1995, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized Gendun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet. This extremely important decision by His Holiness was the culmination of a difficult and thorough six-year process of searching for the incarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama....

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In an auspiciusous and unexpected occurence, His Holiness Pedma Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche offered a body relic of Terton Migyur Dorje to Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and the students at his Western seat of Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) in Poolesville, MD. His Holiness’ surprise gesture came in the midst of a...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Mary Teal Coleman (Ven. Tenzin Yeshe) In August 1994, thirteen fellow female Tibetan Buddhist monastics and I were given Bhikshuni vows by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh at his meditational retreat, Plum Village, near Bordeaux, France. In addition, some male and female monastics from the Vietnamese Zen tradition received...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. Orgyen Kusum Lingpa Teaches in America by Victoria Huckenpahler His bulldog face can vary its expression from wrath to radiant compassion to childlike glee in rapid succession; he calls himself a beggar lama and a son of Vajrapani. These apparent contradictions are but facets of one wisdom display...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Edited, by Karma Lekshe Tsomo 180 pp. #BUAMWO $12.95 Available now. The Buddha’s path to human transformation declares women and men equally capable of spiritual realization, yet throughout history most exemplars of this tradition have been men. Now, as Buddhism is transmitted to North America, women are playing a...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. trans, by Dr. Barry Clark foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama 250 pp. #QUATI $22.95 I am happy that after more than ten years studying Tibetan medicine, both in theory and practice under the tutelage of a number of Tibetan physicians, Dr. Barry Clark has compiled The Quintessence Tantras...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. From the conservationist point of view, 1995, the year of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, was an absolute disaster for the city of Lhasa In a few months, the 1300-year-old Tibetan capital has lost more historic substance than in the last two years...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Deborah Price Janke On a clear Friday morning, August 12,1995, eight auspieious symbols were drawn on the sidewalk facing the entrance to 1892 Fell Street, Kagyu Droden Kunchab, in San Francisco. People stood waiting with burning incense and silk offering scarves. As the crowd grew larger and larger...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche trans. & ed. by Lama Surya Das 150 pp. #NAGRPE $14.95 The following excerpt from Natural Great Perfection was taken from the chapter entitled You Are Dzogpa Chenpo. People commonly find themselves in difficult relationships. As long as we are stili subject to karma and...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Studies in Genre ed. by Jos Ignac Cabezn and Roger R. Jackson Essays in honor of Geshe Lhundrup Sopa 530 pp. #TILI $29.95, #TILIC $45 cloth The following excerpt is taken from the Editors’ Introduction to Tibetan Literature. Tibet possesses a literature that stretches back over 1300 years. It...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.E. Kalu Rinpoche and V.V. Bokar Rinpoche Vsit Tucson On July 9 and 10, over 400 people from Tucson, Arizona and surrounding areas of the Southwest received teachings, blessings and empowerments from His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche and the Very Venerable Bokar Rinpoche. The Rinpoches visited Tucson as pait of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Dr. James Manganiello Geshe Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche, director of the Bon Children’s Home at the principal Bon monastery in Dolaiji, India, established the Bon Children’s Home in July of 1988. His aim was to provide living and study facilities for the needy children of the Bon communities of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. I congratulate photogiapher Bill Warren and author Nanci Hoetzlein Rose for their efforts. -The Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, from the foreword by Bill Warren and Nanci H. Rose 138 pp 8 x 10 1/2, 160 color plates, ISBN 1-55939-042-5 Quality Paperback, $26.95 The essence of compassionate living...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Nyingthig Yab Zhi empowennents will be offered by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche at Rigdzin Ling, Chagdud Gonpa Foundation’s main center, located in Junction City, California, from November 9 to 22,1995. In the fourteenth century, the omniscient Longchen Rabjam condensed the essence of the six million, four hundred thousand Dzogchen...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Teaching by Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche is currently visiting Chagdud Gonpa Foundatimi’s main center, Rigdzin Ling, in northern California, to guide the construction and consecration of eiglit stupas. The follwing commentary is takcnfrom ediled transcipts of a teaching by and interview with Rinpoche conducted al Rigdzin...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. As a result of the Chinese invasion of Tibet and subsequent wide-spread destruction, the survival of many important Buddhist teachings is in great danger. Some texts are probably lost forever, but others may stili be found in scarce numbers. To check this tragic loss, the Tibetan Meditation Center of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An intervieni with Jeanne Kristel by Janet Greene, M.D. SINCE 1970, Jeanne Kristel has been studying and practicing Tibetan Buddhism. She has been painting thangkas and mandalas for more than two decades and was encouraged by her stained glass teacher to transfer tliis tremendous talent into stained glass. To...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jamgon Kongtrul Lodr Tay Translated and edited by the International Translation committee of Kunkhyab Choling founded by V.V. Kalu Rinpoch 301 pp., #MYWO $19.95 Myriad Worlds is the first of ten books contained within the major treatise The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge (Shes bya mtha’ yas pa’i rgyamtsho), which...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Thubten Chodron I began hearing rumors the morning of Sunday, October 8th that nuns were going to debate in the courtyard in front of the main temple in Dharamsala and that His Holiness the Dalai Lama was to be there to observe. There were many nuns in McLeod...

The following article is from the Winter, 1996 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Longchen Rapjampa Introduced, trans, and annotated by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche Ed. by Harold Talbott 482 pp. ISBN 1-55939-054-9 $22.95 The following is excerpted from the translator’s preface to The Practice of Dzogchen. The teachings of Dzogpa Chenpo (or Dzogchen), the Great Perfection, are the innermost esoteric Buddhist training...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In the summer of 1995 His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, head of the Sakya lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, will give a major Buddhist teaching in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington. This month-long series of profound discourses on peace, compassion and the nature of reality, so needed in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. Orgyen Ku-Sum Lingpa Like a lightning bolt that illuminates mind’s very essence, His Holiness Ku-Sum Lingpa’s powerful realization awakens the listener to new states of clarity and compassion. In Tibet he is renowned as a supreme revealer of spiritual mind treasures. The Chinese, who imprisoned him for twenty-three...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. INTERVIEW WITH LAMA THARCHIN RINPOCHE Rinpoche, can you tell us something about your activities here in the West? The last time I saw my root teacher, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, his final instructions were for me to take care of the doctrine by teaching and establishing the Dharma. He...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Major lineage holders of the Drukpa Kagyu school met in November in Kathmandu under the auspices of the Drukpa Kagyu Heritage Foundation to begin the next important step in a project aiming to collect, preserve, and publish the entire written heritage of this Tibetan Buddhist lineage. The puipose of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Daniel Cozort 192 pp. #HIYOTA $14.95 To give you a feel for Highest Yoga Tantra, the have included the following excerpt from Part 3, The Six Levels of the Stage of Completion. The Four Joys The four Joys are bliss consciousnesses generated because of the melting of the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama translated by Glenn H. Mullin 237 pp. #PAEN $14.95 This new edition of a foundational teaching by the Dalai Lama is now available from Snow Lion. The following is an excerpt, from the chapter Where the Guru and Disciple Meet,’ which we feel is important...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. As Head Teacher and Abbot at Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ithaca, NY H.H. the Dalai Lama has appointed Khensur Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche (a.k.a Geshe Wangdak), a lharampa geshe from Drepung Loseling and former abbot of Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala, India, as senior teacher at Namgyal Institute...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jennifer Bimbaum The monks of Na mgyal Monastery Instiluteof Buddhist Studies, Ithaca, perform a variety of ritual and sacred arts for the community, among them the construction of sand mandalas and the ritual consecration of statues and thangkas. On behalf of our customers who have requested information on...

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. teaching Tantra & Dzogchen as a couple. Empowerments of Yeshe Tsogyel / Padmasambhava and Machig Labdron, open retreats, workshops. New York February 14-March 7 (212) 439-4780 San Francisco March 7-29 (510) 865-1394

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Established in 1973 in Pahala, Hawaii by the Nechung Rinpoche, the grand lama of Nechung Monastery in Lhasa and Dharamsala, the temple hosts many programs with head and lineage lamas of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Seminars and retreats cover a wide range of subjects, from foundational philosophy...

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dear Friends, We are a group of twenty-five nuns of Vietnamese, American, and European origin, studying and practicing under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. For many years, we have been developing community practice life here in France, and we feel the time is ripe for us...

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Center for Teachings & Long-term Retreats Tara Mandala is a retreat center located in SW Colorado. It was founded in late 1993 by Tsultrim Allione, M.A, and is devoted to the preservation and development of Buddhist traditions and wisdom lineages. Tsultrim Allione has been a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner for...

The Eighth Situpa Tenpa’i Nyinchay on the Third Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Dorje’s “Aspiration Prayer of Mahāmudrā of Definitive Meaning” The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by The Eight Situpa & H.H. the Third Gyalwa Karmapa Introduction by Trangu Rinpoche Translated & edited by Lama Sherab Dorje The following section has been chosen...

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. (March 25-April 25) This 4-week program of study abroad in Dharamsala, India and will be of value to beginners and advanced students alike and is open to anyone wishing to apply. Those joining this trip will fly to New Delhi and from there travel by train and automobile to...

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Incomparable Dharma Lord of Tibet Now look! Milarepa said, and hoisted the back of his robe, revealing the cheeks of his buttocks, all covered with lumps of hard callus, like the hooves of an animal, due to having sat for so long on stony ground without a cushion....

The following article is from the Spring, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. International Conference on Buddhist Women From August 1 to 7, 1995, women from all around the world will gather in Leh, Ladakh, in northern India. The Fourth International Conference on Buddhist Women will be jointly sponsored by Sakyadhita: International Association of Buddhist Women and the Ladakh Buddhist Association, with...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Today is the auspicious day when the Buddha first gave the Kalachakra teaching. The Kalachakra teachings have special connection with the Panchen Lamas. On this occasion, which also happens to be the Vaisaki, it is with great joy that I am able to proclaim the reincarnation of Panchen Rinpoche....

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In May of this year Sawang Osel Rangdrol Mukpo was enthroned as the holder of the Shambhala lineage of teachings and leader of the international Shambhala community. This rare ceremony, performed only once previously in the West, is an ancient rite which enthrones the Sawang as a Sakyong. A...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Documentary producers Vanessa Smith and Roslyn Dauber are seeking sponsors to enable completion of the video Tibetan Women Refugees. The work-in-progress will be screened in Beijing at the NGO Forum for the Fourth U.N. Women’s Conference. The documentary focuses on tire status of Tibetan women refugees in India, Nepal,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Since the time of the Buddha, some individuals have been called to conunit deeply to the Dharma by offering their lives through the renunciation of worldly concerns and comforts, and the cultivation of ethical purity. They have gone forth in faith, and the transmission of pure teachings has greatly...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The North American Seat of the Personal Monastery of H.H. the Dalai Lama GIFT OF LAND LAUNCHES NAMGYAL RETREAT CENTER DEVELOPMENT EFFORT A spectacular tract of land has been donated to Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies as the site of a future Tibetan style temple, guest...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Kristine Paknys, Joan Scott and Miriam Zehavi Geshe Khenrab Topgyal Gajam On Monday October 4, 1993, probably in the early hours of the morning, our precious Spiritual Master, Geshe Khenrab Topgyal Gajam, began his journey into the Clear Light. One of Geshe-la’s disciples came to...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. From the Human Rights Desk, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala, Dec. 22, 1993 Since spontaneous resistance to Chinese rule erupted in Tibet in September 1987, sparked off by China-controlled media criticizing the Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet outlined by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on September 21...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ghadong Monastery is one of the three oldest monasteries in Tibet established prior to the foundation in the fifteenth century of the three great monastic centres of Lhasa: Ganden, Sera and Drepung. It is traditionally the seat of the Ghadong Oracle which, along with the Nechung Oracle, were the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Lelung Pema Shadpa’i Dorjee This is one of the few outstanding monasteries of Tibet following the non-sectarian tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by the fifth Jedrung Lobsang Trinley (alias Lelung Shadpa’i Dorjee), who was a great treasure discoverer with clairvoyant power. The great Indian Tantric adept...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will inaugurate in April its first permanent galleries dedicated to the display of the arts of South and Southeast Asia. In a series of 18 newly constructed rooms housing some 1300 works of art from more than a dozen countries,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Jonathan Landaw & Andy Weber Illustrations by Andy Weber Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice answers the need for a clear and straightforward guide to the inner world of Tibetan Buddhist sacred art. Focusing on many of its most important and representative images, this richly illustrated book...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On February 12, during Tibetan New Year, Snow Lion Publications celebrated the opening of its new location and retail store. Nearly 100 people from the Ithaca community came to brouse the large display of books and other dharma items, to enjoy lavish displays of food, and to meet with...

The following article is from the Spring, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. An Appeal from Tibet House, New Delhi, and The Foundation for Universal Responsibility, New Delhi, India His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in a booklet of poems entitled The Sheltering Tree of InterdependenceA Buddhist Monk’s Reflections on Ecological Responsibility, states: Being attentive to the nature of interdependence of all creatures...

The following article is from the Summer, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Four Noble Truths by Ven. Lobsang Gyatso After his enlightenment, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, which are the foundation and essence of all forms of Buddhism. The first truth diagnoses the nature of our existential illnesses and neuroses. The second explores their causes and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by H.H. the Dalai Lama As the twentieth century draws to a close, we find that the world has grown smaller. The world’s people have become almost one community. Political and military alliances have created large multinational groups; industry and international trade have produced a global economy. Worldwide communications...

The following article is from the Summer, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Nawang Khechog is one of Tibet’s foremost contemporary musicians. He is a Tibetan-born Australian citizen and now an American resident. Since China took over Tibet, he has lived over thirty years in India as a refugee. Nawang was a monk for 11 years studying philosophy and meditation with many...

The following article is from the Summer, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Emerging Saga of Tatanka Changlochen Rinpoche by Steven McFadden In a curious parallel of fiction and fact, just as Bernardo Bertolucci’s new film Little Buddha is opening in movie houses across the nation, an eleven-year-old boy from the Green Mountains of Vermont has stepped forward to acknowledge that...

The following article is from the Summer, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gyeltsap on Aryadeva’s Four Hundred According to Gyel-tsap Darma-rin-chen, Aryadeva’s Four Hundred Stanzas was written to explain how, according to Nagarjuna, the practice of the stages of yogic deeds enables those with a Mahayana motivation to attain Buddhahood. Both Nagarjuna and Aryadeva urge those who want to understand reality...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Rinpoche has been teaching in the USA since August and has been very well-received. Here is the remainder of his schedule: Oct. 6-10: Milarepa Center, Barnet, VT 802-6334136. Cittamani Tara initiation and retreat. Oct. 14: Open Center, NYC 212213-5592. Talk on Kalachakra for those going to Spain to attend...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Lisa Leghorn Where am I flying? Chagdud Rinpoche asked someone in his dream, as he took an airplane to an unknown destination. America, came the reply. Later, when he asked fellow refugees at the Tibetan refugee camp in India about America, most people didn’t know where it was....

The following article is from the Autumn, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will confer the Kalachakra Iniiation from December 11 to 19 in Barcelona, Spain. Although the Kalachakra Tantra is meant for practitioners of the highest faculty, it also has a special connection with all the people of this planet. For that reason, the initiation is...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. trans. & intro. by Ngawang Zangpo ISBN 1-559394)29-8 255 pp., $15.95 The Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Himalayan tantric Buddhism require a long period of intensive training in meditationa three-year, three-month retreatbefore a practitioner is considered to be a qualified teacher. Jamgon Kongtrul’s Retreat Manual was written in the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. DIF is working with other Buddhist Groups in the San Francisco area to collect books for educational programs in Tibet, Bhutan, India and Nepal. They are also collecting food for the needy in the San Francisco area Contact: DIF, TO Box 40155, Berkeley, CA 947040155, 510-849-9928.

The following article is from the Winter, 1995 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by John Powers 350 pp. #INTIBU $18.95 [The following is the author’s introduction to the book.] At dawn in Dharamsala, as the sun rises over the mountains, a number of people are already awake and walking on the path around the residence of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Following the Kalachakra Initiation in Sikkim last April, His Holiness the Dalai Lama asked people to begin reciting the mantra of Guru Padmasambhava, Om Ah Hum Benza Guru Padma Siddhi Hum. Addressing the gathering in Gangtok on April 7,1993, when the Sikkimese and Tibetan people offered long-life prayers to...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo Snow Lion Publications346 pp., $14.95 Reprinted from Religious StudiesReview, January 1993Reviewed by Janice D. Willis,Wesleyan University This valuable collection of essays grows out of the first International Conference of Buddhist Nuns, held in Bodhgaya, India in 1987. At that conference, women rununciates from East...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Pacific Region Yeshe Nyingpo, Chagdud Gompa Foundation, Vajradhatu International and Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling, as well as other sponsors, are pleased to announce the first visit to the West H.H. Khenpo Jigmey Phuntsok who is the present incarnation of Terton Sogyal. He is considered to be a living...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Mark Elliott In 1980 His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa came to the Baca Grande, a large estate in the remote San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, at the invitation of Maurice and Hanne Strong. During his visit His Holiness had a vision that this would be a...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Friday Harbor, Washington offers for sale individually cast porcelain bas-relief plaques of the Long-life White Tara deity. All proceeds will benefit the Sakya KachSd Chfiling Retreat Center. The plaques are beautifully sculpted porcelain, and are available in pure white, with a single color borderfor $90.00, or a full color...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche On April 23,1993, His Holiness the Dalai Lama confirmed Kyabje Palyul Dubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche as the new head of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The post became vacant after Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche passed away on September 28, 1991. The new Nyingma head...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Lama Sherab Dorje, representative of His Holiness Kalu Rinpoche at Kagyu Ling in Burgundy, France, has announced the founding of a Buddhist Medical Institute. The Institute, a long-time wish of Kalu Rinpoche, is an aspect of Kagyu Ling’s Shedra in the Marpa Institute. A Shedra is a...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A SYMPOSIUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 1993 Dharma Friendship Foundation (a non-profit organization) and The University of Washington Department of Psychology are pleased to sponsor Buddhism and Psychotherapy: An East/West Dialog on Saturday, November 6, 1993. Seven panelists who are psychotherapists and/or Buddhist teachers will share their...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On July 23, 1993 Lama Yeshe jporje Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama’s weather-controller, passed on. The folkwmg story was written by L.B. Grotte in memory of him. A blue-black giant of a woman wearing a tigerskin loincloth, fifty feet tall with flaming orange hair, standing in a torrent of flames...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, one of the heads of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, plans to tour the United States for the first time in six years. He will be giving empowerments and teachings throughout the country between May and September 1994. His...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The beautiful Bakror Tibetan Buddhist Temple and monastery is situated close to the place where, over 2,500 years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni spent six years sitting in meditation for the purpose of purifying all defilements of his body, speech and mind. This event is one of just a few significant...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Five-Day Intensive Teaching in Tucson,AZ by H.H. The Dalai Lama Article by Victoria Huckenpahler Background Against a vast panorama of blue sky punctuated by mountains not unlike those of his native Tibet, H.H. the Dalai Lama presented an intensive teaching on the Patience chapter of Shantideva’s Guide to the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Losel Shedrup Ling Tibetan Buddhist Center announces the arrival of a new resident teacher, the Venerable Jampa Rinpoche from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India. We are very grateful to Rinpoche for his kind willingness to share his vast knowledge with us by teaching at our centers in Atlanta, Knoxville...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Padma bSam-yas Ling Since 1984, at the behest of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and his brother Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche have been working and teaching in the United States. In 1988, they founded the Pad-masambhava Buddhist Center in New York and currently pursue an active teaching...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness will be spending several months touring the Americas, giving teachingsespecially on the Fivefold Path of Mahamudra, which is one of the main practices of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. He wrote in his introduction to the Garland Of Mahamudra Practices (Snow Lion, 1986) Lord Gampopa drew together all...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Is Enlightenment Possible? Dharmakirti and rGyal tshab rje on Knowledge, Rebirth, No-Self and Liberation by Roger Jackson Is Enlightenment Possible? is an exploration of the most sustained and sophisticated argument for the truth of the Buddhist world-view that of Dharmakirti. Dharmakirti sets forth a rational demonstration that past...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche 120 pp. $12.95 Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s remarkable life came to an end in 1991. He was one of the foremost teachers and meditation masters of the Mahayana, Mahamndra and Great Perfection traditions. In this, his last teaching in the West, he presents the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. From April 14 to 29, 1994, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit the United States. The tour will begin in Hawaii, then move to California, Michigan, Kentucky and New York. Hawaii April 15: Symposium Local Identity in the Global Community: Creating Global Peace in the 21st Century at...

The following article is from the Winter, 1994 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sambhota Tibetan Publishing Software for Windows 3.1 and the Macintosh. Direct inquiries to: Sambhota Phone-Fax: 3929 Orchard Ct. (303)442-5410 Boulder, CO 80304 After 18 months of makeshift arrangements, Namgyal Monastery’s new altar is nearing completion for installation in early 1994. The altar was designed by Ven. Pema Losang Chogyen....

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. New Book on Dzogchen: Teachings on the Kunzang Nying-tig by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen The Teachings of the Progressive Great Perfection called the Heart Drops of Dhannakaya (‘od gsal rdzogs-pa chen po’i lam-gyt rim-pa khrid-yig kun-tu bzang-po’i snying-tig shes-bya-ba bzhugs) Translation and commentary by Lopon Tenzin Namdak Introduction by Per...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jamie Kempton Columbia News Service NEW YORK-Batsaihan Purveegiin didn’t recognize the artistic talent that lay in his hands until he almost lost the use of those hands. The 25-year-old former machinist was badly burned seven years ago in an explosion at a power company in his hometown of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Director of Ligmmcha. Ligmincha Institute, currently based in Richmond, Virginia, is a newly formed center for the study of Tibetan religion and culture with a focus on the indigenous Bon religion of Tibet. Under the guidance of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, President and Director of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Marina Kenin-Lopsan translated by Bill LeGallee Introduction by Molly McGinn and Gary Wintz The lost land of Tannu Tuva, an area the size of the state of Washington nestled between northwestern Mongolia and Siberia, is finally in the news, thanks to the good graces of His Holiness the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Washington, DC, Oct. 19-Mongolia is an ancient land which has always held a special interest for me. This is mostly due to the feet that my ancestors emigrated from its western region in the beginning of the 17th Century and settled on the steppes of the Volga River during...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This is an appeal to all friends of the Buddha Dharma to help the monasteries of Mongolia in their reconstruction and to preserve and promote the teachings of Buddhism in our ancient land. Historically, Buddhism spread into Central Asia over the past 2000 years and Mongolia became one of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dr. Finckh was one of the first Western doctors to deeply study and write about Tibetan medicine. She was eighty years old when she passed away Jan. 20,1993 in Germany. Studies in Tibetan Medicine is one of the books she authored.

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Ven. Thubten Chodron will lead a month-long retreat on the gradual path to enlightenment June 18July 15, 1993. To register or for information, call Qoud Mountain Retreat Center (206) 274-4859 or write to Northwest Dharma Association, PO Box 807, Castle Rock, WA 98611, USA. $280 for first week...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Suzanne Alvarez has been working for Snow Lion for three years. However, even before she became an employee, Snow Lion had been an important pan of her life. It was through Snow Lion books and the influence of the staff (Sidney Pibum and Jeff Cox) that Smanne’s interest in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Rinchen Dharlo, the representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama in N. America asked us to reprint the following talk by His Holiness which was given in the fall of 1987. It remains important for Westerners to consider these thoughts carefully and for all of us to do what we...

The following article is from the Spring, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The reincarnation of the late Khyabje Dudjom Rimpoche (Jig-dral Yeshe Dorje), supreme head of the Nyingmapa School, has been officially recognized by the Wisdom Eye of H. H. the Dalai Lama. The reincarnation of Dudjom Rimpoche was recognized in accordance with his direct prediction of family, place and time...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This interview with Venerable Lama Lodu Rinpoche was given on April 14, 1993 shortly after he returned from the enthronement of Khyab Je Kalu Rinpoche in Sonada, India. Lama Lodu Rinpoche, a close disciple of the previous Kalu Rinpoche, is an accomplished yogi, Vajrayana master, scholar and teacher of...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In spring of 1992, when rumours of the discovery of H.H. the 17TH KARMAPA started circulating, the first reaction of many was joy Although all appears fine on the surface, many serious questions concerning the recognition of the 17TH KARMAPA have never been settled. This is the fist and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ancient WisdomTraining the Mind in the GreatWay What Color is Your Mind ANCIENT WISDOM Nyingma Teachings of Dream Yoga, Meditation and Transformation by Gyatrul Rinpoche 150 pp., #ANWI $14.95 Available now! If dharma practices are condensed into the most essential activities necessary to accomplish realization, one must consider how...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Dorje Yudon YuthokEdited by Michael Harlin Snow Lion Publications 330 pp. $14.95 Reprinted from Journal of Asian Studies, February 1993 Reviewed by Marcia Calkowski, The University of Lethbridge This book makes a valuable contribution to the Tibetan ethnographic and historical record and to the burgeoning genre of women’s...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute The Tibetan Nuns Project was initiated in Dharamsala, India, in 1987 as a centralized entity for channelling assistance to Tibetan nuns in exile. It operates under the auspices of the Tibetan Women’s Association and the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile....

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jig-me Ling-pa, the exponent of Dzog-pa Ch’en-po Long-ch’en Nyingtig, provides the required preliminary for the practice of Dzog-ch’en in a short liturgical prayer called The Excellent Path to Omniscience. One of his eminent disciples, Jig-me Gyal-way Nyu-gu, gave an oral instruction on it, which his disciple, Dza Pal-trí_l Rin-po-ch’e,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Join Barbara Upton, Director of the Jacques MarchaisTibetan Museum, lor a 14 – day tour of Central Tibet.Optional extension for the adventurous to seldom visited monasteries and sites. 14 – day Tibetan OdysseyMarch 4 – March 19, 1994$3895 all-inclusive from L.A. ( based on minimum of IJ persons)Price includes...

The following article is from the Summer, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Photographic Exhibition Mustang is one of the few areas in the Nepal Himalaya that is still relatively untouched by the outside world. It is a vast and barren land located north of the great Dhaulgiri and Annapurna mountain ranges and east of Dolpo. Once part of western Tibet,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. At the request of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, the spiritual director of Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC), the entire Dudjom treasures cycle of revealed teachings will be conferred by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche from August 15 to September 6 in Poolesville, Maryland. Chagdud Tulku received these empowerments directly from His Holiness Dudjom...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Kalachakra Temple in St. Petersburg was built in 1915 to fulfill prophetic visions of the 13th Dalai Lama (1876-1933). In fact it was a Buriat Mongol known as Lama Dorjieff, a tutor to the Dalai Lama and his ambassador to the Tsar, who officially founded what was to...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Photo: Will Cross Samye Ling Tibetan Centre has purchased Holy Island, situated off the west coast of the Scottish mainland in the Firth of Clyde. It is a secluded haven of wild beauty, presently uninhabited save for its small herd of wild Eriskey ponies and flock of Soay sheep....

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On the 7 th of June, 1992, when Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche arrived in Dharamsala, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was on a visit to South America. On the evening of that same day, the two Rinpoches telephoned His Holiness to inform him of the following. In His...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Excerpt from the Introduction In our search for the meaning of life, we may overlook the fact that life doesn’t necessarily have any meaning at all. The meaning of life is not presented to us, but is something that we create ourselves. In the third chapter of the Dhammapada...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. High above Drigung Monastery, the trail levels off onto a meadow where several small chortens, hundreds of snapping prayer flags, and a twelve-meter circle of flat, black stones marks the Drigung dundro, one of Tibet’s most ancient and sacred sky burial sites. We walked slowly through a sea of...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s fall visit to the United States has been cancelled. His Holiness was to have visited New York, Kentucky, Stanford University and Los Angeles. For many years now the Kashag (the Cabinet of the Tibetan government) and His Holiness’ personal doctors have been requesting His...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Two New Books on Shamatha Meditation Snow Lion is pleased to announce the publication of two new books on shamatha meditation in die Tibetan tradition: Walking Through Walls and Shamatha Meditation. Shamatha Meditation: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on Cultivating Meditative Quiescence By Gen Lamrimpa (Ven. Jampal Tenzin), translated by B....

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. LAMA THARCHIN RINPOCHE Teachings by Rinpoche according to the Nyingma tradition will be held in Seattle, Oct. 30–Nov.9 Teachings on Guru Yoga Oct. 31, Nov. 1,6,7,8 using the text The Three Words of Garab Dorje. Yeshe Tsogyal teachings and Empowerment Nov 2&3 For information call 206-584-1355 or write Vajrayana...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dharma Friendship Foundation is pleased to announce that beloved teacher Venerable Gen Lamrimpa will return to Seattle in August. His schedule so far includes a retreat at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center October 16-18, as well as other teachings to be confirmed. Gen-la led the one-year shamatha retreat at Cloud...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Ven. Lama Chhoje Rinpoche is a lineage holder of both the Nyingma and the Kagyu traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism. His autumn 1992 teachings include: 10/16-10/23 ä»_ The Hinayana & Mahayana Teachings (Intensive Retreat) Fairfax, California 11/2 ä»_ An Introduction to Buddhism Ashland, Oregon 11/3 ä»_ The Heart Sutra...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalia Lama and H.H. Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche. Photo: Bill Warren The Jewel Mountain, a fifty-eight minute film, presents the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism through an intimate and direct look at the daily life of one of its most inspired teachers. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991) was a principal...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. At the end of August, H.H. Sakya Trizin, Head of the Sakya Order, granted approval for the request to open a Dharma Center in Naples, Florida. Under the spiritual direction of Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen, the Sakyapa Center for Buddhist Studies and Meditation will officially open with a ceremony on...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Khamtrul Rinpoche is the fourth incarnation in a lineage of scholars and saints from eastern Tibet. He is a scholar, meditation teacher, and ritual master of the Nyingma lineage. Recognized at the age of eight as the successor to Dorje Namgye, Khamtrul Rinpoche was installed as co-abbot of Gaje...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Snow Lion extends its best wishes to His Holiness the XVIIth Gyalwang Karmapa, Ugyen Drodul Trinley Dorje, upon his enthronement at Tolung Tsurpu Monastery, September 27, 1992. May his life be long and his wishes be fulfilled! Abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (N. American Seat of H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa)...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Jacqueline Nalli, Rigpa Dorje Foundation His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche’s pure view and one-pointed perseverance to benefit all beings gave rise to the attainment of his vast accomplishments. In his 39 years, the third Jamgon Kongtrul incarnation, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge’s expressive vision and knowledge expanded boundlessly in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Plans have been announced for His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, to visit Arizona in September 1993. The 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate will give a public talk in the Phoenix area on September 9. Teachings on the Patience chapter of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Reprinted from Dzamling Kunchab, Newsletter of Kalu Rinpoche’s East Coast Centers The Seventeenth Gyalwahg Karmapa Eight-year-old Ugyen Tinley was formally enthroned as the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa on September 27, 1992 in a ceremony at Tsurphu Monastery, the main seat of all the Gyalwang Karmapas. Tai Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Namkhai Norbu Review by Diane Shainberg Reprinted from Tricycle: The Buddhist Review$14.95 Snow Lion Publications Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light addresses the possibilities of lucid dreaming. Tibetan author Namkhai Norbu, an internationally respected teacher of the Vajrayana traditions of tantra and dzogchen, instructs as well...

The following article is from the Winter, 1993 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Review of Tibetan Arts of Love by Ellen Pearlman reprinted fromThe Shambhala Sun. $14.95. Snow Lion Publications. When I heard about this book, I thought, Hot new information, let me at it! After all, isn’t orgasm traditionally one of the four ways to experience ordinary mind? As George Michael...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Gina HalpernReviewed by Whitney Stewart Through exquisitely detailed and culturally sensitive drawings, Gina Halpern creates a charming full-color picture book for young readers. Few illustrators have been able to capture Tibetan style and imagery in a modern story, but Halpern does it with humor and unlimited originality. Through...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In 1959 when the Tibetan people rose up against communist oppression, the revolt was ruthlessly crushed forcing many thousands of Tibetans to flee to India and elsewhere. In that year the Dalai Lama established an Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies at Buxadaur, West Bengal, India, for refugee monks. In...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. With the completion of his six-year term as Ganden Tripa, holder of the throne of Je Tsong Kha Pa, His Eminence Jampal Zhenphen of Ganden Jangtse Monastery was succeeded by Most Venerable Yeshi Dhondup, who assumed the post following a traditional enthronement ceremony on December 23, 1990 at Ganden...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is vitally important that the people who are concerned about saving Tibetan culture know about the key issues and do what they can to help. The way to be informed is to read some of the following journals and newsletters, which provide up-to-date news and information. We especially...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dakini Simhamukha Tsultrim Allione, author of Women of Wisdom, will give a retreat and teaching on the practice of Dakini Simhamukha in northern California from March 25 to 29, 1992. The practice of Dakini Simhamukha is a gong ter or mind treasure teaching from Ayu Khandro, a twentieth-century Tibetan...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gomang College of Drepung Monastic University in south India now provides a special opportunity for Western monks to undertake traditional studies in Buddhist philosophy leading to the degree of geshe. In accordance with the advice from the Dalai Lama (see Dreloma XVIII-XIX), a separate hostel or khatigtsen has been...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The 1991 Kalachakra Initiation in New York marked the beginning of the Tibet Center’s program to establish and promote the teachings of the Kalachakra Tantra in America. In order to create a conducive environment for the practice and study of Kalachakra, Khyongla Rato Rinpoche and the members of the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Land of Medicine Buddha is a new centre for alternative healing, psychic and somatic, created by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, to train individuals and groups in various ancient and new ways of healingTibetan medicine, chikong, hatha yoga, herbal medicines of Amerindians, Chinese medicine and accupuncture, visualization meditationsall situated in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The School Project: Parents of school children are concerned that training be given in ethics and values. In the fall of 1992 we will see the opening of KPC’s school, where kindness, compassion, and a respect for all life will be the foundation of its educational program. Children will...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Phowa is the practice of transfering consciousness at the time of death. This course will be given Jan. 21-30 in New York City and will cost $150 plus $25 for texts. For more information call: Marcie Clark at 914-658-8783, John Ryan at 201-319-9800 X442, or Constance Markel at 201-568-7063.

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. TRANSLATING BUDDHISM FROM TIBETAN: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TIBETAN LITERARY LANGUAGE AND THE TRANSLATION OF BUDDHIST TEXTS FROM TIBETAN by Joe B. Wilson, Jr. Written for beginners, but with material of interest to advanced students as well, Translating Buddhism from Tibetan presents Tibetan in a systematic and structured way....

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. How The Cyclone’ Came to the West by Mardie Junkins Once there lived a family in the village of Joephu, in the Palrong valley of the Dhoshul region in Eastern Tibet. There was a father, mother, two sisters, and two brothers. Like many Tibetan families they were very devout....

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Kalachakra Medal issued by the Paris Mint commemorates the past, present, and future Kalachakra initiations conferred by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Created by the world-renowned Japanese medalist, Keiichi Uryu, award winner of the American Numismatic Society in 1989, it is a powerful symbol of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. New Book from Snow Lion Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light, by Namkhai Norbu. Edited by Michael Katz. 160 pp., $12.95, available June. Few of us remember the many dreams we have each night. Fewer still invent or create in our dreams, or often achieve lucidity. Lucid...

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Eminence is the next head of the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. A very highly realized teacher, he is presently leading the Sacred Music Sacred Dance tour for Drepung Loseling Monastery May 22-24, 1992 THE THREE PRINCIPLE ASPECTS OF THE PATH May 25, 1992 MANJUSHRI – EMPOWERMENT The...

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. According to tradition, King Chandrabhadra of Shambala requested Sakyamuni Buddha for a teaching that would enable him to attain enlightenment in this life without having to renounce his throne and become a monk. He felt that as a king he would have a greater opportunity to benefit sentient beings....

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Celia Wright Without the Mongols there might be no Dalai Lama today, in name at least. The lineage of the Dalai Lama has been linked with Mongolia for over four hundred years and the name Dalai (Great Ocean) is itself Mongolian. When the powerful Mongol chief Altan Khan...

The following article is from the Spring, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness will teach on Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavatara from October 23 through 27th, 1992, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. This teaching provides an important foundation for the understanding and practice of both sutra and tantra. In 1989, His Holiness consecrated the site for a Tibetan Peace Temple in Malibu,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The 17th incarnation of His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa has been found and recognized by the regents and incarnate lamas of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. As is traditional, the current incarnation has also been recognized by His Holiness the XlVth Dalai Lama. Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, abbot...

The following article is from the Winter, 1992 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Monks of Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala. Institute of Buddhist Studies Ithaca, New York Namgyal Monastery is establishing a branch monastery in the United States, in Ithaca, New York, under the direction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the parent monastery in Dharamsala, India. Six Namgyal monks, including a...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. According to Sakya tradition, the great Indian Buddhist saint, Atisha, was traveling through Tibet in 1042, when he stopped at the sight of pale-grey earth on a nearby mountain. While his companions made camp, Atisha made obeisance toward the area of pale earth, explaining that many emanations of the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Dennis Oliver and Jeffrey Schoening The bestowal of the Khon lineage Lam Dre teachings in Nepal by His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya was one of the most notable events which occurred in the Tibetan community in 1990. The bestowal of this series of teachings by His Holiness marked...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jetsun Sakya Center invites Buddhists of all traditions to receive the Vajrakilaya Empowerment of the Sermon Long Lineage in grand form from H.H. Sakya Trizin, head of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism. The Empowerment will take place in New York in the early part of October 1991, and...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. OCTOBER 1991 NEW YORK CITY The Tibet Center has the great honor of sponsoring a rare and historic program that will take place during October 1991 as part of the celebration of the Year of Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will confer a Kalachakra Initiation at the Forum...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Lama Kunga Rinpoche WEALTH TREASURE VASES The tradition of the Wealth Treasure Vase is a very ancient one. The Vases were very well known in Tibet for many centuries, and many families had them. The Wealth Treasure Vase brings blessings to its possessor. The powers of the Wealth...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. $1 Million Loan Fund Ready to Lend; Handicraft Company Set for Imports by Richard Weingarten The Tibetan Economic Development Project began in 1987. The purposes of the Project were to analyze the resources available to the Tibetan refugee communities in India and Nepal, and to help these communities develop...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Machig Lapdron. by Tsultrim Allione The Chod practice was first taught by Machig Lapdron, a renowned Tibetan yogini of the 11th century. In this practice, after various preliminaries, the practitioner performs the offering of the bodythis is the essence of the Chod practice. gCod literally means to cut, referring...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by H.H. Sakya Trizin The ever-increasing wealth of books concerned with Tibetan culture and religion has both influenced and broadened the oudook of the West. A few of these publications have dealt with our life and culture in a balanced way, discussing them in their proper context. However, the...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Tuula Saarikoski Lopon Tenzin Namdak is the principal Master of the Bon monastery at Dolanji, India. He is a Dzogchen Master who transmits the most ancient Dzogchen teachings of Shang-Shung. He has also been actively responsible for the Bonpo refugees of Tibet, organizing for them a prospering settlement...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Lama Soktse Rinpoche will be visiting California during September and October to give Dzogchen teachings and empowerments from the Dudjom Ter Sar lineage and the terma lineage of His Eminence Drukpa Yongdzin Rinpoche. Soktse Rinpoche is a yogi who has spent most of his life on retreat....

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In Honor of the Year of Tibet To give Phowa Courses in United States and Canada Phowa is the Tibetan Buddhist method which allows us to transfer our own or others’ consciousness at the time of death to Dewachen, the Pure Land of Amitabha, the Western Buddha of Infinite...

The following article is from the Summer, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable K.C. Ayang Tulku Rinpoche will return to the United States and Canada this August for his first visit since 1987, to give Phowa retreats, related teachings and empowerments. The Phowa practice, or Transference of Consciousness at the Time of Death, is a simple, powerful means of ejecting...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Respected. Elder and Teacher The Bonpo people hold the original tradition and culture of Tibet. Rinpoche Tenzin Namdak is the Lopon (Head Teacher) of the Bonpo people. He was born in 1926 in Kyung-po Province in Kham territory, in southeastern Tibet. Rinpoche began his studies at an early age...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Tara Project was created in 1990 to help care for Tibet’s refugees living in India and Nepal. Combining Tibet’s Buddhist tradition of compassion and American-style social action, the goal of the Tara Project is to provide Tibetan refugees with the resources to help themselves and help others. The...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Mary Pernal The newly opened Karmapa International Institute of Buddhist Studies, located just south of New Delhi, completed its first academic year this past spring. Inaugurated on February 6, 1990, it is under the direction of the XIV Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, who is known as the Red Crown...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Jacqueline Nalli, Rigpe Dorje Foundation In precise accordance with the predictions of the second Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Khyentse Oser, the present and third incarnation of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was born in Central Tibet in 1954. Rinpoche is an incarnation of the extraordinary 19th- century spiritual master, Jamgon Kongtrul...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. OPEN HEART, CLEAR MINDby Thubten Chodron Snow Lion Publications $9.95Reprinted from Yoga Journal, JulyAugust 1991 As the Dalai Lama says in his foreword, this book conveys a clear understanding of Buddhism as it has been practiced by Tibetans, in easily comprehensible language. Written by an American Buddhist nun, it...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal (of the Bonpo Lineage) When one gets interested in a teaching, it is important to discover why one is doing something, what is the purpose in following a teaching, and what one’s motivation is. When we practice, it is not because we have nothing else...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SOVIET BUDDHISTS GIVE HIS HOLINESS THE MOST JOYOUS RECEPTION EVER by Gary Wintz The sun has never shown brighter for Soviet Buddhists. For three weeks between July 10 and July 30, 1991, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet traveled to more Buddhist regions across the USSR than on...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In descriptions of Buddhism and Buddhists, monks have figured prominently and a wealth of detailed information is available on their way of life. The religious life was also open to women, yet little is known about the women Who opted for the monastic life. Many historical events mention the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. HIGHEST YOGA TANTRA, by Daniel Cozort 192 pp. #SLBKHYT $12.95 (see Religion section) For anyone interested in practicing Kalachakra, this book is a great general presentation of tantra and in addition has a special section comparing the completion stages of the Guhyasamaja and Kalachakra systems. KALACHAKRA: RITE OF INITIATION,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA PORTRAITS Because of the great demand for photos of the Dalai Lama, we offer full-color portraits suitable for gifts or devotional use. Photos like these of the Dalai Lama are precious gifts for Tibetans in Tibet or Tibetan communities. SLCDL1 The Dalai Lama Leading...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Teaching in France, Summer 1990 The northern ranges of the French Alps provided the setting for the Rigpa International Summer Retreat, held this year from August 1-26. Led by Sogyal Rinpoche, Rigpa’s annual retreats, which take place every summer in France, welcome great masters and attract over six hundred...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Oral Instructions of Jig-me Gyal-way Nyu-gu on the Preliminary Practices of Dzog-chen Long-ch’en Nying-tig, The Highest Buddhist Doctrine, Expounded by Kun-k’yen Rig-dzin Jig-me Ling-pa Transcribed by Paltrul Rinpoche Preface by Chatral Sanggay Rinpoche Trans, and ed. by Sonam T. Kazi An excellent, faithful translation…an authentic preliminary work which...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Kalachakra Initiation, Sarnath, December 1990 -æMahayana teachings, Dec. 24-28: The Precious Garland of Nagarjuna -æKalachakra Ritual Dance, Dec. 28, monks of the Namgyal Monastery -æKalachakra Initiation, Dec. 29-Jan. 1, His Holiness The Dalai Lama -æLong Life Ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jan. 2 Kalachakra Tantra was taught...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. 3/24 Boston, MA: Conference at Harvard Medical School: Mind/Science: A Dialogue between East and West. Contact: 617432-1525. 3/26 Ithaca, NY: Public lecture at Cornell University. Send stamped, self-addressed envelope to Dalai Lama Visit, PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14850. 3/28 Findlay, OH: University of Findlay 3/30-4/1 Houston, TX: Rice...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Geshe Kelsang has prepared a large number of books for publication. Those already in print are: Meaningful to Behold A commentary to Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Clear Light of Bliss An explanation of Mahamudra in Vajrayana Buddhism. Buddhism in the Tibetan Tradition: A Guide An...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen and members of Sakya Phuntsok Ling are delighted to an-nounce that His Holiness the Sakya Trizin has consented to bestow the Lam Dre teaching cycle and initiations in Washington D.C. in the autumn of 1991, following His Holiness’ participation in the Kalachakra initiation to...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey was born in a small town called Yar-kyag, in the Tre-hor District of Kham, which was largely a farming community during that time. Geshe Dhargyey’s monastic education commenced at the age of seven at the local monastery, D’ar-gye. There he studied very hard and showed great...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo Snow Lion Publications, 1988. Review by Ellen Sidor, reprinted from Primary Point, Fall 1990 The proceedings of the First International Conference on Buddhist Nuns held in Bodhgaya, India in 1987, have been collected into a unique and fascinating book. One gets a sense of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The complete cycle of empowerments for the treasures of the great Nyingma lama Dudjom Lingpa and selected empowerments for the treasures of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche will be given in California by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche. These empowerments (wangs) will be given for twenty-four days beginning April 22nd at Rigdzin...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Born in 1928 in Tibet’s eastern province of Kham, Khenrab Tobgyal journeyed to Lhasa at the age of fourteen and began an intensive course of studies at Jangtse College of Gaden Monastery. His educational program was temporarily interrupted by the invasion of the Chinese Pfeople’s Liberation Army, for in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Shortly after construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa began, an incarnation of the great translator Variocana was born into the ancestral family of King Tritson Duetsen. At an early age he was recognized as a terton, a treasure discoverer, destined to discover specific texts hidden by Padmasambhava in...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Work in progress. The sangha of Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Buddhist center for study and meditation in the Nyingma tradition, invite you to share in a very special vision. We have begun to create a 65-acre wildlife refuge, inspired by descriptions of the pure land of Amitabha, the Buddha...

The following article is from the Winter, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is a Tibetan Ngakpa (yogi) and meditation master of Vajrayana Buddhism. He is the tenth lineage holder of the Repkong Ngakpas, famous throughout Tibet for their meditative abilities. Rinpoche studied meditation and Buddhism under the close guidance of many of Tibet’s greatest masters. One of his...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In June 1990, the abbot of Drepung Loseling Monastery, Venerable Rizong Tulku Rin- poche, made his first trip to the West under the auspices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The purpose of his visit was to consecrate the land in North Georgia donated to Drepung Loseling for the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Deva Loka, a group of Ayya Khema’s students who have organized to bring her teachings to the United States, is pleased to announce the 1991 California visit of the internationally known Theravadan Buddhist meditation teacher, Bhikkuni nun and author, Ven. Ayya Khema. Two retreats are planned: the first, in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sacred dance has been cultivated as a treasure in the East for millenia. In the early Vajrayana Buddhist monasteries of Orissa (500-700 A.D.) there were large numbers of dancers attached to the temples. The iconography of those ancient temples and the postures of the deities represented on Tibetan thangkas...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Golden Lineage Treasury Translated by Khenpo Konchog GyaltsenEdited by Victoria HuckenpahlerForthcoming from Snow Lion May 1991 $12.95 No one is insincere in his own regard, but ignorance and confusion cause most beings to create their own suffering. For this reason the Buddha, who began as an ordinary being,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1991 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Practical Guide to Stages of Meditation New book by The Dalai Lama! Translated by Geshe Thubten Jinpa, edited by Christine Cox. Available now from Snow Lion Publications for $12.95. Extracts from the chapter on Death and Impermanence. You should develop the conviction that awareness of death and impermanence...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Snow Lion Publications has been established to protect and further Tibet’s great religious and philosophic traditions. Although this rich cultural heritage is threatened within Tibet itself, its importance and uniqueness is being enthusiastically recognized by a growing number of people around the world. Our goals are to provide handsome,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. As we complete this issue of the newsletter, we are reflecting on the fact that Snow Lion has now completed its tenth year of publishing books on Tibet. The Snow Lion effort has involved numerous people generously working to do something for the Tibetan people and the precious culture...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A song silenced. . . in its home. Since their invasion of Tibet, the Chinese have suppressed the rich traditions of Tibetan music, dance, and drama in an effort to assimilate this ancient culture. But the art survives, barely, in refugee settlements in India. Hope sustained in exile. ....

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Mrs. Dorje Yudon Yuthok, third from left, ca. 1938. By Mrs. Dorje Yuthok. 330 pp., photos, glossary. Preface by Tenzin N. Teihong. Foreword by Heinrich Harrer. Now available from Snow Lion Publications for $14.95. Dorje Yudon Yuthok was born into the Lhasa aristocracy at a critical moment in Tibet’s...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is said that, at the time of the rebirth of the Terton Dorje Dechen Lingpa, the sky in Sikkim resounded in thunder, I am here!, the sound coming from all directions in space. Sogtrul Riri-poche, his principle student and lineage holder, was already*awaiting him, as his place of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Om Tashi Dondrup! The crisp morning air sparkled with their shouts as the group of men raised a tall wooden flagpole hung with prayer cloth. They were welcoming in another New Year in the Tibetan Refugee camp of J^obsering, India. At every home in the small community the ritual...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. One of the exciting books on our fell list is by an American Tibetan Buddhist nun, Thubten Chodron. It is a practical introduction to Buddhism that focuses on the application of Buddhist psychology to modern life. It has received the attention of many notable persons whose comments will cast...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. International Association of Buddhist Women Sakyadhita (Daughters of the Buddha) is an alliance of women devoted to the practice of the Buddha’s teachings. This international organization was founded at the conclusion of the First International Conference of Buddhist Nuns in Bodhgaya, India, in February of 1987. It seeks to...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. For the past two years the maroon-robed Tibetan Buddhist monk, Pema Losang Chogyen, from Namgyal Monastery of Dharamsala, India, has been a steady presence at the prestigious Program for Computer Graphics at Cornell University. In 1988 Pema, who is a scholar, artist and ritual arts master, was chosen to...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Chhoje Rinpoche is a reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist Lama and an Oracle. He was recognized by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and H.H. Karmapa as the incarnation of the previous Chhoje Rinpoche. Chhoje Rinpoche is a lineage holder of both the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions. He is a yogi and...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Lama Khenpo Palden Sherab RinpocheVen. Lama Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche In the eighth century, the Buddhist teachings were carried from India to Tibet by the great tantric master Padma Sambhava. In the 1970s and ’80s these same teachings came to America. The Nyingma lineage, founded by Padma Sambhava,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Jangchub Choeling Nunnery, established by H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1986 in Karnataka State, India, currently houses 35 young nuns, some recently arrived from Tibet. Most of the younger nuns attend regular day school and study religious subjects at night. There is no reliable source of in come...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Drepung Monastery was established in Tibet in 1416 by Jamyang Choje. Eventually it became the largest monastic university in the world, with up to 12,000 lamas and monks from all over Tibet, the surrounding Central Asian kingdoms, China, Japan, and Russia. After completing their course of studies and undergoing...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Over the past few years since his departure from Dhomang, Yangthang Tulku has received coundess letters from the people, monks and tulkus of Dhomang requesting him to return. He has finally agreed, hoping to build a study center and a retreat center. Gyatrul Rinpoche has seized this opportunity to...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tibet House has the great honor of announcing that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consented to offer the Kalachakra Initiation in New York City in October of 1991. His Holiness will give preparatory teachings October 15-18, and confer the Kalachakra Initiation October 21-23. Tentatively scheduled for October 12-14...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Kevin Ellis Free Press Staff Writer MIDDLEBURYIn an American hockey rink jammed with eager con. jss, the Dalai Lama said Saturday chat compassion, love and affection can lead civilization away from the worldwide environmental crisis. And scientists and other expertsmore than great leadersmust play a special role in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Lori Campbell Free Press Staff Writer Scrunching his eyes and laughing in a high-pitched hee-hee-hee, the Dalai Lama leader of 14 million Buddhists and a Nobel Peace Prize winner won over Vermont children Friday. In the Buddhist tradition of the teacher questioning students to help them find answers...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The mask-making tradition is one of the oldest existing Tibetan art forms. A great variety of materials and techniques may be employed, depending on the uses for which the mask is made. The most common technique, that of cloth mask-making, allows the artist to create the intricate detail necessary...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Whitney Stewart writes fiction and non-fiction for children. She has been a children’s librarian and a tutor of English, French, creative writing, and children’s theater. Her experience as a puppeteer and actor has been a base for writing for and working with children in elementary and high school. TRANSCENDENT...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Practice and Theory of Tibetan Buddhism By Geshe Lhundup Sopa & Prof. Jeffrey Hopkins This recent publication is a cornerstone of Buddhismit is a practical manual of meditation and the theory that supports it. This book provides the foundation needed by any sincere practitioner to be able to follow...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche will be teaching on The Roots of Tibetan Buddhist Practice at the Gaden Choling Centre in Toronto, Canada from April 13 to May 3, 1990. The highlight of his teachings is the two-day Guhyasamaja Initiation, given now for the first time in Canada. This...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The establishment of Rigpe Dorje Institute and Pullahari Retreat Center are the inspiration of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, one of the four Principal Lineage Holders of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche’s strong wish to provide educational opportunities for the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Virtually all Tibetan nuns in India are either refugees or the daughters of refugees. Conditions in the monasteries, nunneries and refugees settlements of India are at best primitive. The average family income is quite small, and most ordained Buddhists have few sources of support, so nuns generally face serious...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Although the original meaning of the term Nirmanakaya (Tib. sprul-sku, pronounced tulku) refers to the Emanation Body of a Buddha, in general usage it also applies to Bodhisattvas, Aryas, and certain ordinary beings who have achieved the spiritual power to reincarnate according to their own will, with the motivation...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. As I always say, every one of us has a responsibility. So we must each take that responsibility and try to contribute our own individual share. Let us try to have a better world, a happier world, happier human beings. What I usually call my nirvana‘the permanent cessation of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is of the greatest simplicity. It is what is. Dzogchen, which is beyond conceptions and transcends both grasping and letting go, is the essence of transcendental insight. This is the unchanging state of non-meditation in which there is awareness but no clinging. Jikme Lingpa, The Lion’s Roar’ The...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. My first exposure to the subject of Yantra Yoga came through the master teachers Dudjom Rinpoche, who left his body in 1987, and Lama Gompo Tseden, who at the age of eighty-four currently lives and teaches in Tibet. Initially they did not give methods for practicing a Yantra Yoga...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By H. H. the Dalai Lama & Galen Rowell In the opinion of the Snow Lion editors, this is one of the most important books to appear on Tibet. The combination of Galen’s 108 stunning photographs with the words of His Holiness both describing the scenes and discussing various...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Œæ The VIII Chhoje Rinpochc is a reincarnated Lama and an Oraclc. He was recognized by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and H.H. Karmapa as the incarnation of the previous Chhoje Rinpoche, who was believed to be one of the emanations of Rechungpa, a principle student of Milarepa. Chhoje Rinpoche is...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Of all the monasteries of Tibet, Namgyal Monastery is unique. As the personal monastery of the Dalai Lamas, it is nonsectarian and responsible for maintaining ritual practices and teachings of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Because it was established to assist the Dalai Lama in his temporal...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit the United States and Canada beginning September 12, 1990. He will join a distinguished group of international leaders representing major world religious traditions at Middlebury College, Vermont, to participate in a conference, Spirit and Nature: Religion, Ethics and Environmental Crisis, to be...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Lama Zopa will be in the US in September. Here is his schedule: Sept. 6-7 NYC, Transforming Problems, Robvn Brentano, 609-921-0445. Sept. 8-9 NYC, Heart Sutra, Bodhicitta Foundation, 718-275-6366 day, 516-773-4985 night. Sept. 15-17 Boston, Nyung-ne Commentary, Kurukulla Center, 617-421-9668, 536-3358. Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Hawaii, Graded Path to Enlightenment,...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sidney Pibum and other staff of Snow Lion Publications have compiled and edited a wonderful book about the Dalai Lama that is quickly becoming very popular. Published to honor the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, it contains a careful selection of addresses, interviews and biographical sketches that present...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A concise and practical commentary on two essential texts: Geshe Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Thought Training and Togmey Zangpo’s The Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices. Drawn from the lucid oral teachings of Geshe Gyeltsen, Spiritual Director of Thubten Dhargye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Studies Center in Los Angeles. 176 pp., $12.95...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tibet House has the great honor of announcing that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consented to offer the Kalachakra Initiation in New York City in October of 1991. His Holiness will give preparatory teachings October 15-18, and confer the Kalachakra Initiation October 21-23. Tentatively scheduled for October 12-14...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Organized by lite Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and Tibet House New York, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet is scheduled to travel to San F rancisco, New York and Houston in 1991-92. Counseled by an international committee of leading Tibetan and Western scholars and art...

The following article is from the Summer, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Inspired by her two daughters, her Swedish origins and a predilection for the symbolism and spiritualism of the East, Marianne Rydvald creates huge fanciful murals that reach out to many people and not just to a few. It is from the wisdom of the East and the mythology of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has accepted an invitation from Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, to be their 1991 Eartel World Affairs Fellow. This is Cornell’s most prestigious lectureship. The highlight of His Holiness’ visit will be a talk, free and open to the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Starting January 10, 1991, Kalachakra teachings and retreat will be held on the premises of the Root Institute. Places are limited. The retreat will last 6-8 weeks. For further information please contact: Root Institute, CABurmese Vihar, Bodghaya, Bihar 824231, Attention: Kabir Saxena

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Tsenten Samdup Sarnath, a small Indian town, 11 kilometers outside Varnasi, in early December witnessed the largest ever gathering of Tibetan reincarnated lamas. Over 350 reincarnated lamas, abbots and ex-abbots of the four school of Tibetan Buddhism and the indigenous faith-Bon Religionassembled to take part in the Fourth...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dzogchen is both the final and ultimate teaching, and the heart of the teachings of all the Buddhas. Though generally associated with the Nyingma or ancient school of Tibetan Buddhism founded by Padmasambhava, Dzogchen has been practiced throughout the centuries by masters of all the different schools as their...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama It is necessary for us to familiarize with and get used to good attitudes, but our habituation to bad emotions such as hatred makes a huge obstacle. Thus, we need to identify the various forms of bad afflictive emotions and combat them right...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Mexico City, July 2, 1989. During a very successful first trip to Latin America His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet opened Casa Tibet Mexico, a center dedicated to the study of Tibetan culturethe first of its kind in Latin America. After visiting Costa Rica, His Holiness arrived in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SAKYA ARCHIVES The documentation of the oral transmissions of Tibetan masters goes back over 1000 years as disciples would take notes in groups and then work on them with their Guru to create the many well known commentaries and texts we now have. Today the archival preservation of oral...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A four-foot high statue of Yeshe Tsogyal has been sculpted at the Padma Amrita center in Spokane. Making the statue was a unique group process which evolved out of an initiation, teachings and retreat of the Yeshe Tsogyal practice. Visitors are welcome to the center to see the statue...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Tenth Panchen Lama, Tenzin Tinlay Jigme Choekyi Wangchuk, suddenly passed away on the evening of 28th January 1989, at Tashi Lhunpo, his traditional seat in Tibet. Fifty years old, he is reported to have died of a heart attack. The Panchen Lamas are widely regarded as human emanations...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. June 19, 1895-June 5, 1989 Although Marco Pallis was born in Liverpool of Greek parents, it was perhaps Indian influences that first shaped his imagination. For his father Alexander combined business life in the largely eastern trading firm of Ralli Brothers with scholarship and poetry and the family home...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Fluent in English and well-known in the West because of his frequent appearances in the media and. at international conferences, Sogyal Rinpoche is a Buddhist master who was born in Tibet and trained by some of the greatest teachers of this century. He is acknowledged as a pioneer in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama with President Oscar Arias, right, and Costa Rican Archbishop Ramon Arrieta, left, and Foreign Minister Rodrigo Madrigal Nieto. By Ursula Bernis Costa Rica: In a front-page article on June 23, 1989 The Tico Times, Central America’s leading English-language newspaper, said in its lead: What can...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Costa Rica’s contribution to the world is exceptional because it has shown that a small country can successfully pursue its own independent policy of peace, the Dalai Lama said. Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948. The Tibetan leader pointed out that, others could leam from this example, and...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of Tibet’s most revered lamas, is bringing his Pilgrimage for Active Peacea four-month-long trek for justice, harmony and peaceto the Bay Area, the only North American stop on a remarkable six-stop journey around the world. The Pilgrimage’s San Francisco visit, scheduled for October 10-15, will...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sonada Monastery May 15,1989 At 3 PM, Wednesday, May 10, 1989, our precious Lama, Khyab Je Kalu Rinpoche, passed from this world into the pure realms. In the interest of bringing Rinpoche’s presence closer to each of his disciples at this time of our shared loss and grief, we...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Tara Tulku teaching at Gaden Tenzin Ling. Gaden Tenzin Ling is a Tibetan Buddhist study and practice center located in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. The center is about ten miles outside of Ithaca. Ongoing classes are held in Ithaca on Wednesday evenings at...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dzogpa Chenpo Writings of Longchen Rabjam By Tulku Thondup Rinpoche Ed. by Harold Talbott Buddha Mind is a milestone in the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the West. It is the first systematic effort to expound the Dzogpa Chenpo philosophical standpoint and meditative practice. It presents the whole range...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It is said that when the Indian tannic master Padmasambhava came to Tibet in the 8th century, he glutted the populace with miracles and vanquished the recalcitrant spirits, pledging them to henceforth protect the new religion. Popular stories recount how spirit after spirit was subdued and a hierarchy among...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche will bestow the Kalachakra initiation in Toronto, Canada, from August 9th to 13th, 1990. Co-sponsored by the Karma Kagyu Centres of Toronto and Niagara, the ceremony will be held at the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall. This will be the first time the Kalachakra...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jamyang Choling is a non-profit, non-sectarian project to provide study programs for nuns of the Tibetan tradition. It has grown out of an adult literacy program for nuns which was conducted in 1988 and is developing into a comprehensive program of studies in Buddhist philosophy and languages, also offering...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This year Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s,stay in Boston marked the official opening of the Kurukulla Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies (formerly known as FPMT/Boston). The Venerable Geshe Lobsang Jampa is Kurukulla’s resident teacher and his translator is the Venerable Thubten Nyingje. Lama Zopa appointed Nick Ribush as Director of the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1990 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On November 16th, during his stay in Bodhgaya, His Holiness the Dalai Lama granted an interview to the Ven. Khempo Tsultrim Gyantse Rinpoche and his sixty students, who had come from all over the world to study Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy. In responding to their questions, His Holiness...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Khen Rimpoche is one of the most qualified scholars and teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. He entered Gochen Monastery at the age of six, where he underwent an intensive training in all facets of Tibetan Education, both secular and religious. In 1953 he graduated to Riwoche...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The tour of eight Drepung Loseling monks, Sacred Music, Sacred Dance is just completing its seventh successful month of performances in North America and will continue for another month and a half on this continent before heading for Europe. The lamas’ performances have created a tremendous surge of interest...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is revered as the very embodiment of compassion and is recognized as one of the greatest living Buddhist teachers. Though capable of the most sublime thought, His Holiness considers himself a simple Buddhist monk whose true religion is kindness. In manifesting the qualities of...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SECRET VISIONS OF THE FIFTH DALAI LAMA by Samten Darmay Serindia Publications, London For centuries Tibet has served the planet as a nation dedicated to spiritual art, literature and practice. In an era when Europe was busy sending its armies around the world to pillage, rape and colonize, Tibet...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. New York, Jetsun Sakya Center April 19, 20 Teachings on the Vajra-Bhairava practice (open only to initiates of 9-Deity Vajra-Bhairava given by H.E. Chogye Trichen in November) April 21, 22 Two talks at Columbia University Ethics and Wisdom and Sakya Social Dharma April 24-6 Hevajra Empowerment and instruction according...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. NEW DELHI, March 21Fearful of both hard-liners in the Chinese leadership and young Tibetans eager to challenge Beijing with violence, the Dalai Lama appealed today to China, his own followers and the West to help save Tibetan culture from annihilation. The world community has a responsibility to preserve one...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. To the Women of Tibet A Poem in Dedication To the Women of Tibet, My Mothers, My Sisters Sisters of Niguma*, Daughters of Tibet, Flowers of Emptiness – Where will you bloom now? Your native land has been burned And dumped with nuclear char, Desecrated, devastated –...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Speech by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on June 15, 1988 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France We are living today in a very interdependent world. One nation’s problems can no longer be solved by itself. Without a sense of universal responsibility our very survival is in danger....

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Tara Tulku Rinpoche at Gaden Tenzin Ling Gaden Tenzin Ling (GTL) is a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Ithaca, New York. Though the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York is a bit off the beaten path, GTL has been honored by visits from many prominent teachers of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sogyal Rinpoche In the stillness and presence of meditation, we discover a pure awareness, beyond the ordinary thinking mind, and catch a glimpse or view of our true nature, something which we have long ago lost sight of amidst the busyness and turmoil of our lives. The core of...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Am Jetsun Dolma A flock of green parrots settle on the lantana brush. Up the hillside a gnarled ancient tree frames the dense jungle. To its right a small chorten gleams white in the morning sun, brilliant and unearthly. There rest the ashes of Ani Jetsun Dolma, a woman...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.E. Dezhung Rinpoche H.E. Dezhung Rinpoche not only preserved and expounded the vast teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha for our present time, but he directly emanated the heart of the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion to all beings. While tirelessly working to ensure the continuation and flourishing of this profound heritage...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. At the invitation of Sogyal Rinpoche and Rigpa Fellowship, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give teachings on Dzogchen and grant the Empowerment of Padmasambhava and his Eight Manifestations in Santa Cruz on October 8 and 9. This will be a unique and historic occasion, as His Holiness has...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dechen Gyalmo (literally, the Queen of Great Bliss) represents, within the Longchen Nying Thig tradition of the Nyingmapa Lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism, the deified form of the great female practitioner, Yeshe Tsogyal. Born a princess, Yeshe Tsogyal was married to the king of Tibet before becoming the consort and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Visit: His Holiness has been invited by the University of Wisconsin to make a public address on a topic of His choosing. While in Madison, His Holiness will dedicate the Deer Park stupa and offer an Avalokiteshvara initiation, which will be an exceptional opportunity...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet will be the Honorary Chair and a key presenter at Harmonia Mundi (Worlds in Harmony), a week-long program involving many leading Buddhist religious figures, psychologists, writers and artists scheduled for Oct. 2-8, 1989 in Orange County, Ca., by the East West Foundation....

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Buddha Mind by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche is a milestone in the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the west. It is the first systematic effort to expound the Dzongpa Chenpo (Dzogchen) philosophical standpoint and meditative practice. It presents the whole range of vision of Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam (1409-1463), the most...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. It was late in the evening before Losar, the Tibetan New Year. By the time passing digitally on my watch, it was February 17, 1988. Since Tibetans follow a shorter, lunar year, their calendar designated the current one, 2115, the Earth Dragon Year. Their lunar calendar with its bold...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. Sakya Trizin A small way further down the treelined avenue of the Fajpur Road, one will often see red-robed monks waiting for a bus or busy with activities at the Sakya Center, the first Sakya monastery established in Indir,. In the foothills overlooking Rajpur, one will find the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1989 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Jamyang Singe is a master thanka painter who offers his students the unique opportunity to study this meditative form of sacred art either in America or abroad in Tibet, Bhutan or India. Singe was born in Tibet to a family with a long lineage of master craftsmen. However, in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gelek Rimpoche A seminar on the Tibetan Path of Love and Compassion will be offered at Omega Institute from August 29-September 2. This retreat will be well disciplined and strict, yet full of joy and freedom; true to the Tibetan traditions, yet requires no previous exposure to Buddhism. DAY...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Tibetan Nuns’ Project is an endeavor to improve living conditions and increase educational opportunities for nuns of the Tibetan tradition currentiy living in India and Nepal. The project is being run by the American bhikshuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo and Ms. Rinchen Khandro Choegyal, President of the Tibetan Women’s...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. with Jamyang Singe Thangka painting is a sacred art form whose venerable practice brings peace and realization to the artist, viewer and community. Its ancient harmony has been preserved in esoteric graphs called tiksays that have been transmitted from teacher to student for many generations. Employing age-old formulas, the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Since the summer of 1983, Gampo Abbey has been slowly developing as a monastic setting for Western monks and nuns and for candidates for ordination. The Abbey, which is located on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, sits on 200 acres of landon cliffs above the ocean. It...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Sakya center in Seatde submitted the following clarification to The Snow Lion: Documented history of the Sakya Khon lineage begins about 754 A.D. when a member of the Khon family was a well-known minister to Tibet’s King Tri Tsong De Zen. Subsequently, with the construction of a small...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A workshop on Self-Transformation Through the Medecine Buddha Mandala will be offered June 25-26, taught by Dr. Lobsang Rapgay. This workshop is designed to help the participant design his or her own mandala of healing using the Tibetan medicine Buddha mandala as a prototype. The mandala is a representation...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. When I was in San Francisco last year, I was impressed with the number of serious and devoted Dharma students, so I decided at that time that a retreat center for the City Sangha would be most beneficial. My wish was that the center could purchase some land, not...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. SHELKAR CHOSDE GADEN LING Lato-Shelkar Chosde monastery, located in Southwest Tibet, was one of the largest monasteries in the area, with a population of 300 monks of all ages. With the exception of a few young novice monks, all were taken away to prison camps during the Chinese invasion,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is the senior meditation master of the Sakya Order and the Teacher of His Holiness Sakya Trizen. Rinpoche will be giving Dharma talks, seminars, meditation instructions, and consecrations (including the Consecrations of Kalachakra). We look forward with great anticipation to Rinpoche’s first visit...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tara Tulku Rinpoche will -give the Yamantaka initiation as part of a weeklong visit to Gaden Tenzin Ling (GTL), Tibetan Buddhist Center of Ithaca, New York (also home of Snow Lion Publications). The dates of the initiation, including preliminary teachings, are April 30 to May 2, with...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. DIALOGUE IN DHARAMSALA by Newcomb Greenleaf In late October, 1987, five Western scientists met for a week with His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, to discuss Buddhism and cognitive science. The program of the meeting described it as follows: MIND AND LIFEDialogues between Buddhism and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Excerpts From: The first day of the dialogues were opened by Dr. Jeremy Hayward, who introduced the subject of how western science validates and proves itself. He gave an historical perspective of the beginnings of western science and the culture within which it was developed. He spoke about the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness and monks drawing the mandala. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has accepted an invitation from Thubten Dhargye Ling, a Los Angeles-based Tibetan Buddhist Center, to bestow Kalachakra Initiation, a most sacred and important Buddhist teaching, in Los Angeles. This historical religious event will take place for the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.E. Lading Khen Rinpoche Rinpoche is the 75th throne-holder of Ngor Ewam Choden and head of the Ngor sub-sect of the Sakya School. The Ngor sublineage was founded in 1429 by the great scholar and meditation master Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo. Ngor Evam Choden, the monastery founded by Ngorchen, became...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. by Alexander Berzin In August 1987, at a private audience with His Supreme Presence, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Dharamsala, I reported to His Holiness on my recently completed 15-month lecture tour to 24 countries. I presented several suggestions concerning the operating policies of Buddhist Dharma centers in...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Highlighted by the recent teaching visits by H.E. Jetsun Kushola and H.E. Luding Khen Rinpoche, Jetsun Sakya Center continues to offer the New York City community the opportunity to study Buddhism in the pure unbroken Sakya Tradition. The remarkable tradition of Sakya teachers has won respect for the school...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dualistic thought is the net that entraps. The holder of the kingdom is spontaneous awareness. Display arises from unmoving, unceasing awareness. Like the play of children, there is nothing to abandon, nothing to grasp. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche received these words from the great siddha, Padampa Sangye, in a vision...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On the island of Hawaii, where lava flows to the sea and where snowy mountain slopes and black sand beaches can be found, is a Buddhist templeNechung Dorje Drayang LingImmutable Island of Melodious Sound. Located in the foothills of Mauna Loa is a hidden valley called Wood Valley. The...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition is an international network of nearly 50 Buddhist colleges, urban centers, monasteries, meditation and retreat communities founded by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. The intent of FPMT is to provide channels for integrating the teachings of the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sogyal Rinpoche, incarnate Lama, scholar and meditation master was born in Tibet and raised by Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro, one of the greatest Buddhist masters of this century. After the death of his master, he studied extensively with H.H. Dudjom. Rinpoche and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He also studied...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. THE WORLD PRAYER CENTER Of the many lineages which have come to the West, the Palyul lineage is one of the most recent and least known. Palyul was one of six major monasteries of the Nyingma and was the practice site of many great bodhisattvas: both the practice cave...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Kargyu tradition has a rich heritage with the variety and scope offered by various lineages. The Drukpa Kargyud lineage, like the other Kargyud lineages traces its origins to the great Indian saint Tilopa, and his foremost disciple Naropa. It was in the eleventh century that the renowned...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The membership in this worldwide association of Buddhist women is open to both ordained and lay people, women and men alike. Among its goals are: to work in harmony with the Buddhist Sanghas of all traditions and promote understanding among them; to improve the education, conduct and meditation practice...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. This is a delightful Dharma center tucked away in the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii. Christi and Jeff Cox of Snow Lion visited the center recently and met Lama Tenzin, the resident teacher. The center was founded by the Ven. Kalu Rinpoche who is also the spiritual director. There...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Documenting the Teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist Masters Since 1959 Tibetan Buddhist masters have travelled to the West, teaching extensively and establishing Buddhist centers throughout the world. However, in recent years, many of the great teachers have passed away, taking with them their unique understanding of the Dharma. In...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Chhimmed Rigdzin This is a Nyingma center in Tallahassee, FL founded by the Ven. Chhimmed Rigdzin Lama, a tulku. They have an active center with regular events including periodic visits from their spiritual director. The Ven. Chhimmed Rigdzin Lama is a retired professor of Indo-Tibetan studies at the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Snow Lion has recently organized a Board of Advisors to evaluate scholarly manuscripts for publication as part of a series titled Studies in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. The Board’s recommendation of any title will indicate that this book has fulfilled certain scholarly criteria and is considered suitable for academic study. Texts...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sakyadhita, the International Association of Buddhist Women, continues to welcome members. The aims of the group are to promote peace, to establish communications between Buddhist women, to prepare women as teachers of Dharma, to provide opportunities for monastic training and ordination for those who wish, and to serve as...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In 1981 the Western monastic sangha of the Kagyu lineage felt the need to found the International Kagyu Sangha Association in order to help each other to establish monasticism in the West and to increase communication and education. The first step towards this was the publication of IKSA’s magazine...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Jacques Marchais Center of Tibetan Art, also known as the Tibetan Museum, sits high atop Lighthouse Hill on Staten Island. Chosen in 1945 by Jacques Marchais, the professional name of Jacqueline Norman Klauber, for its resemblance to the Tibetan countryside, this summit marks the second highest point on...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness the Dalai Lama by H. H. the Dalai Lama at the Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center I am very happy today to communicate with ali of you American Buddhists from this oldest of the Tibetan Buddhist monastic centers in America. It is encouraging to note the present spread...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. When the last surviving members of Gaden Monastic University from Tibet arrived in India as refugees, they felt the preservation of Tibetan culture and religion to be a serious challenge for the Tibetans if they are to retain their cultural identity as a people. In spite of many harsh...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. During the past year, 25 talks, seminars and workshops dealing with Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism have been presented in the Chicago area by author/translator Glenn H. Mullin, the Ven. Tubten Pende (one of the seniormost Western monks in the Tibetan tradition) and Scott Brusso (former spiritual director of Chenresig...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Note: A new translation of this work will be released in 2018. Review by the Late John Blofeld MAHAMUDRA: The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation, by Takpo Tashi Namgyal; translated by Lobsang R Lhalungpa (Boston, Shambala Publications, 1987; 488 pages, $25.00 paper). John Blofeld wrote the following review in...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A Performing Arts Tour by Drepung Loseling Monks At its zenith Drepung Monastery housed almost eight thousand monks. Famous for its spiritual and academic intensity, it acted as a training ground for some of the finest traditions of sacred art, music and dance to be found in Central Asia....

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. She is known by many names: Mrs. Luding, Lama Chime, Jetsun Kushok, Chime Osel Rikdzin Bhutri Thrinley Wangmo, Sakya Jetsunma, Chime Luding, or just plain Chime-La. She is often mentioned in conjunction with her family: the sister of His Holiness Sakya Trizin, the sister-in-law of His Eminence Luding Khen...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Padma Amrita Tibetan Buddhist Practice Center is a Nyingma center founded in 1984 in Spokane, Washington. The resident Lama is Inge Sandvoss, her predecessor was Ven. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche. The center maintains a schedule that includes daily practice a.m. and p.m., teachings two nights a week and visiting lamas....

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Deer Park is dedicated to preserving, transmitting, and putting into practice the teaching of Buddhism. To this end, teachers living at Evam Monastery at Deer Park, home of a Madison-based monastic community, and guest teachers offer regular classes on Buddhist philosophical topics, doctrine and specific practices, as well as...

The following article is from the Spring, 1988 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness Palyul Drupwang Penor Rinpoche, head of the Palyul lineage of the Nyingmapa tradition, will arrive in San Francisco on June 15, accompanied by a troupe of musicians and dancers from his monastery in Bylakuppe, India. His Holiness is well known both as a meditation master and for...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Vajrapani Institute was founded in 1977 under the inspiration of Lama Yeshe. They have steadily grown to become one of the most important dharma centers in the US. We received the following calender of events: June 5-7. 12-14: Healing Meditation Course, Ann McNeil. In this course we will learn...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Mahayana Sutra and Tantra Centers of New Jersey and Washington D.C. are directed by Geshe Lobsang Tharchin, who completed over 30 years of study at the Sera Mey Monastery and Gyumey Tantric College of Lhasa. Geshe Tharchin is one of only a few lamas in the world who...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. A permanent home in America for the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism is quietly growing in the forests of Barre, Massachusetts. One hundred and eighty acres bordering the Prince River Reservoir with a main house and several outbuildings was acquired in 1985 at the direction of His Eminence the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Kalu Rinpoche has asked Lama Lodro to supervise the reconstruction of Ri-Drak Monastery in Eastern Tibet. Ri-Drak Monastery was established at the place where Kalu Rinpoche meditated for 13 years in solitary retreat after an initial three-year retreat. Currently, Ri-Drak houses 60 monks for whom Lama Lodro is responsible....

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Karma Triyana Dharmachakra is offering several courses this spring that will be of interest to many dharma students. April 4-May 3, Tibetan Language Intensive I & II. I. Students will learn the alphabet and how to sound words. At the end of the course, a student should be able...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, music is regarded as a vehicle of inner transformation, a meditative discipline for cultivating the wisdom and compassion of a Buddha. Gyuto Tantric College, founded in 1474 AD in Tibet, has evolved a special chanting technique which enables each monk to produce a low...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Dechen Yonten Dzo Meditation Center is a Nyingma Buddhist practice center established in Boulder in 1982, under the guidance of the Ven. Ri Cham Kusho. Its members practice the Dzogpa Chenpo Longchen Nyingthig cycle of sadhanas, a graduated series of spiritual practices inspired by Guru Padmasambhava. New members begin...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By Elisabeth Finckh, M.D. Dr. Yeshi Donden, the most gifted Tibetan doctor in exile, was entrusted by H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1961 with the task of building the Medical School in Dharamsala. I have been an eye witness: Dr. Yeshi Dondenwith his excellent scientific education-was my teacher and...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. We recently received an interesting newsletter from Thailand that gives information on Buddhist women’s acivities and studies from various countries around the world. It also serves as a centre of communications among Buddhist women and people interested in Buddhist women’s activities in different parts of the world. If you...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In the Lankavatara Sutra the Buddha says: My dharma is of two types: Advice and philosophy. To children I give advice To yogis I teach philosophy. Tibetan lamas are fond of quoting this passage to indicate the importance of studying the various schools of Buddhist philosophy as a component...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism has preserved a pure unbroken lineage of Lord Buddha’s teachings for over a thousand years. The patriarchs of the Sakya Khon lineage were originally disciples of Padmasambhava and followers of the Nyingmapa school. In the 11th century Kon Konchok Gyalpo (1034-1102) established the...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On Staten Island is housed one of the finest collections of Tibetan art in the US. The Jacques Marchais Center of Tibetan Art offers an outstanding program of talks, performances, and demonstrations illustrating the arts and culture of Asia. This past year the permanent exhibitions have been reorganized, public...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Lam-‘Bras (Path and Result) teaching is the central and distinguishing feature of the Sakyapas. Based on the Hevajra Tantra, the Lam Dre is a comprehensive system that embraces the entire range of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist practice. A special characteristic of the Lam Dre is that a practitioner...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Under the direction of H.H. Jagdal Dagchen Sakya, a Head Lama of the Sakya tradition, a branch of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is being established in Seattle, Washington. This new library, which will serve the Tibetan community, members of the Sakya Monastery, and the general public,...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Tibetan nuns, though fewer than monks, have always been significant in the religious fabric of Tibetan society. Their serene monastic residences situated throughout Tibet, were the centers of spiritual advancement for Buddhist women for many centuries. These were almost all destroyed during the Chinese invasion. Recently, courageous women have...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gajong Gyalrong Khangtsen, the Buddhist Cultural Association, is a department of Gaden Monastic University. Established in 1425 by Tsakho Ngawan Dakpa, a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, its purpose is to educate Buddhist monks in the subjects of Buddhist dialectic, Tantric teachings and also for the preservation of the...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Drepung Loseling College was founded in 14)6 A.D. by the great Tibetan scholar Acharya Lekden. It became one of the major institutes for Mahayana Buddhist studies in Tibet. Renowned for its high standard of teaching, Drepung Loseling College produced myriad of such erudite scholars. After being forced to leave...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On Monday, Sept. 21st, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to a couple of hundred Buddhists at the Washington Plaza Hotel. Each major lineage was represented at the meeting which was the first for dharma students during his current visit to the US. His Holiness was here speaking with...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Excerpts from Teachings by Sogyal Rinpoche When you read books about meditation, or often when meditation is presented by different groups, much of the emphasis falls on the techniques. In the West, people tend to be very interested in the technology of meditation. However, by far the most important...

The following article is from the Autumn, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. By EDWARD A. GARGAN Special to The New York Times LHASA, Tibet, Oct. 5. The name of this room is ‘Where the Dalai Lama Stayed,’ the old monk said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he was not overheard. Then he sat on a small platform covered...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama confered the initiation of the great compassionate Jigdhen Wangchuk at the Central Cathedral in Dharamsala this past May 20. The tagon (preparatory ceremony) was held a day earlier. The empowerment was received by over 3000 Tibetans and foreigners. The text of the empowerment was taken...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is the 13th incarnation of the famous Kagyupa teacher who founded Zuru Monastery in the Kham province of Tibet. Rinpoche was recognized as an incarnation by high lamas of the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug traditions. He studied with and received empowerments from many renowned Gelug and...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Gaden Tenzin Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation center, has been founded in Ithaca, NY. Ithaca is a small college town (home of Cornell University) in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York surrounded by wooded hills, waterfalls and lakes. The center’s director is Ven. Zasep...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Ven. Geshe Ngawang Dharghey trained in the monastic tradition of Buddhist philosophy, debate and meditation from early childhood and grew up to become one of the most learned and respected members of his generation. After the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, he fled to India along with...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The members of Sakya Phuntsok Ling joyfully celebrated the opening of their new center in Silver Springs. MD on August 17th. The center’s director is Ven. Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen. The center offers a regular study program as well as weeklv shamatha. Green Tara and Avalokiteshvara meditations. Classes in Tibetan...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Labsum Shedrub Ling, Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center is the result of the work of its late founder, Geshe Wangyal. Geshe Wangyal was a geshe from Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet. In 1955 he immigrated to the United States in order to serve the Kalmuck Mongolian community. He built a...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sakya Shei-drup Ling in Cambridge, MA has announced the establishment of Sakya Chokor Yangtse, The Seat of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. On January 25,1985, with the blessings of His Holiness Sakya Trizin and the Venerable Deshun Rinpoche, 180 acres of beautifully wooded land in Barre, MA, complete with a...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. H.H. the Dalai Lama recently bestowed the Kalachakra Initiation to the largest gathering of Buddhists since the 1950’s. An amazing crowd of more than a quarter of a million came to receive the week-long initiation. Over 9,000 monks were in attendance. On one day a Western monk led the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. At the present time it is extremely important to not have divisive sectarian views: deprecating other lineages and thinking that one’s own lineage is the only valid one. All of the great lineages of Tibetan Buddhism engage in both study and practice leading to full enlightenment. All of the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. We Tibetan ladies feel that we should make ourselves known to the other ladies of the world, says Rinchen Khando Choegyal, President of the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). We should come to know each other, share each other’s joys and sorrows and learn from each other. If all the...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Snow Lion is considering sponsoring a tour of America of eight monks from Drepung Loseling next spring. They do high chanting and traditionally lead the Great Prayer Festival. This tour unlike the very successful Gyuto and Gyume Tantric College tours, will not be solely a chanting tour. Also included...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Drikung Kagyu Center is under the patronage of H.H. the Drikung Kyabgon, Chetsang Rinpoche. Its resident teacher is Khenpo Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltsen, Abbot of all the Drikung Kagyu centers of North America. Khenpo was born in Tibet. After escaping the Chinese takeover Rinpoche received his Acharya degree and...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Ven. Lati Rinpoche. Ven Lati Rinpoche was born in Kham in Eastern Tibet, where he was recognized at the age of eight as an incarnate lama. He received his monastic education at Shartse College, Ganden Monastery, graduating with an honors Geshe degree, the equivalent of a Doctor of Divinity....

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, the great eighty-two year old meditation master arrived in Hawaii on June 17, 1986 to begin a lengthy tour of the United States. Kalu Rinpoche was a mountain yogi in his youth, wandering in solitude among many uninhabited meditation spots for thirteen years. The fame of...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. The Venerable Tulku Thondup Rinpoche was born in 1939 in Golok, Eastern Tibet. At the age of four he was recognized as the Tulku of Konme Khenpo, an outstanding scholar of Dodrup Chen Monastery. He studied at Dodrup Chen under Khenpo Chechog and many other great scholars and masters...

The following article is from the Winter, 1986 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. In 1928, the elder monks of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism divined that a five-year-old boy living in a remote part of Tibet was the reincarnation of the ninth Khyongla of Tibet. On the boy’s sixth birthday, monks on horseback took him from his parents to a monastery...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. On December 20th, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the 37th head of the Drikung Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism arrived in Washington, D.C. to begin a fivemonth tour of the United States and Canada. The Drikung Kagyu School, one of the twelve lineages of the Kagyu Order,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche died January 17th, in Dordogne, southern France, at the age of 82. H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche was one of the greatest scholars and tantric masters of Tibetan Buddhism. The direct reincarnation of Padmasambhava himself, his life was foretold in the predictions of the great tantric master...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Sixty-seven secluded acres with a house and barn have been purchased by the Drikung Kagyu Enlightenment Institute of Rochester, NY. This retreat center will be under the guidance of the most Ven. K.C. Ayang Tulku Rinpoche. Rinpoche received teachings and initiations from many great teachers, including H.H. Drikung Kyabgon,...

The following article is from the Spring, 1987 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here. Affiliated with Evam Buddhist Monastery and now located on the site of the 1981 Kalachakra initiation offered by H.H. the Dalai Lama in Wisconsin south of Madison, Deer Park had its beginnings in 1976 when a group of students of Geshe Lhundup Sopa gathered and dedicated themselves to studying...

The Tibetan word which is often translated as “neurosis” literally means “the failure to accept things as they are.” The failure to accept people and life as they are is a powerful source of personal suffering. This does not mean that we should not pursue happiness and work for change for the better where possible. It means that there are aspects of life over which we have no control, and the greater wisdom is to accept the fact calmly. We...